/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-176000660860626152.webp)
Gurugram, Oct 10: India's Hitaashee Bakshi turned her home-course familiarity into a major advantage, firing a superb 5-under 67 to seize the outright lead after Round 2 of the Hero Women's Indian Open 2025 at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Friday (October 10).
The 21-year-old, who plays her daily rounds at DLF, produced a composed and confident performance to move to 7-under (137) for the tournament, one clear of Germany's Verena Gimmy and 17-year-old Indian amateur Zara Anand, both tied second at 6-under (138).
In a day of rare dominance, the upper half of the leaderboard after Round 2 saw seven Indian players inside the Top 20, including three in the top five. Hitaashee Bakshi (1st), Zara Anand (T2), and Pranavi Urs (T4) - showcasing one
of the strongest collective home performances in Hero Women's Indian Open history.
"I mean this is my home course, so I don't think much," Hitaashee said after her round. "I'm doing one swing at a time, and it's going well for me. It's one of the toughest courses at DLF, and even the Europeans are struggling, but I play here every day, so it's normal for me. "
Teed off at 6:40 a.m., Bakshi said it felt like her routine morning round. "That's the exact time I usually play here. Even if there was dew, it didn't matter, I've played it so many times. It just felt like a normal round of golf," she smiled.
Teen Prodigy Zara Anand Keeps Pace
Continuing her dream run, Zara Anand backed up her opening 68 with a 2-under 70, maintaining her spot among the leaders at 6-under. Despite a three-putt on the 17th, the 17-year-old Delhi amateur stayed composed to birdie the 18th.
"It was quite a roller coaster finish," Zara said. "I had a great putt on 16, got a bit unlucky on 17, and then finished strong on 18 - that got my heart rate up a bit! I'm just enjoying every shot and moment out there. "
Talking about DLF's demanding conditions, she added, "There's no real code to this course - every hole is different, every day is different. The greens were slower yesterday, firmer today. The more I play here, the more comfortable I get. I'm just grateful to be here and looking forward to the weekend. "
Gimmy, Pranavi, and Tamburlini Stay in Contention
Germany's Verena Gimmy (70) matched Zara's total at 6-under, while India's Pranavi Urs shot a sizzling 5-under 67, one of the day's best rounds, to climb into a tie for fourth at 5-under (139) alongside Switzerland's Chiara Tamburlini (68).
"My putts dropped today," Pranavi said. "I was more committed with my lines and speed. That was the difference from yesterday. "
Tamburlini, meanwhile, relied on precision and consistency. "The fairways are getting drier, and the ball was flying farther this afternoon," she explained. "I hit a lot of fairways and almost every green - that made it easier. "
Sweden's Lisa Pettersson carded a steady 69 to sit at 4-under, while Singapore's Shannon Tan slipped to 3-under (141) after a 73. England's Alice Hewson matched Tan's total following a par-72, and overnight leader Vani Kapoor endured a tough day with a 74, dropping to 2-under (142).
Australia's Kelsey Bennett rounded off the top 10 at 1-under (143) after a 71.
Hero Women's Indian Open 2025: Top 10 After Round 2
| Pos | Player | Country | R2 | Total | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hitaashee Bakshi | IND | 67 (-5) | 137 | -7 |
| 2 | Verena Gimmy | GER | 70 (-2) | 138 | -6 |
| 2 | Zara Anand (a) | IND | 70 (-2) | 138 | -6 |
| 4 | Chiara Tamburlini | SUI | 68 (-4) | 139 | -5 |
| 4 | Pranavi Urs | IND | 67 (-5) | 139 | -5 |
| 6 | Lisa Pettersson | SWE | 69 (-3) | 140 | -4 |
| 7 | Shannon Tan | SIN | 73 (+1) | 141 | -3 |
| 7 | Alice Hewson | ENG | 72 (Par) | 141 | -3 |
| 9 | Vani Kapoor | IND | 74 (+2) | 142 | -2 |
| 10 | Kelsey Bennett | AUS | 71 (-1) | 143 | -1 |
Other Indian Performances on Day 2
- Durga Nittur slipped from an excellent opening-day 70 (-2) to a 3-over 75, finishing tied 18th at +1. The 20-year-old struggled with approach shots and putting consistency on the back nine but remains inside the top 20.
- Amandeep Drall continued her steady play with a 2-under 70, staying even for the tournament.
- Avani Prashanth posted a composed level-par 72, tied 14th after two consistent days.
- Ridhima Dilawari carded a 3-over 75, finishing at +3 (147).
- Diksha Dagar, still out of sync, couldn't recover from her tough start and is well outside contention.
Comparisons - Mimi Rhodes, Sara Kouskova, and Durga Nittur
Mimi Rhodes (ENG): The English golfer rebounded impressively from her +4 (76) on Day 1 with a composed 2-under 70, moving to +2 (146) and tied 24th. Her iron control and putting were markedly improved.
Sara Kouskova (CZE): After a solid 2-under 70 on Day 1, she slipped with a 4-over 76 on Day 2, finishing at +2 (146). Despite a rough back nine, the Czech golfer remains above the cut line.
Durga Nittur (IND): Fell from a strong T6 position after her 70 (-2) start to 75 (+3), dropping to +1 (145) and tied 18th - still well-placed heading into the weekend.
Defending Champion Liz Young Makes the Cut
Defending champion Liz Young (ENG) managed to make the cut right on the edge at +7 (151) after carding a 2-over 74 on Friday. Her round featured a steady back nine that helped her avoid elimination, as the cut line was set at +8, allowing 70 players to progress to the weekend.
Cut Line Update
The cut was set at +8, with 70 players advancing to the final two rounds of the $500,000 event.
Top draw Anna Huang pulls out
Meanwhile, Anna Huang of Canada, the teenage golf sensation, pulled out of the competition after her father was denied visa to travel to India. The 16-year-old was on a roll on the Ladies European Tour winning back-to-back titles - Lacoste Ladies Open de France and La Sella Open - last week and had an opportunity to complete a hat-trick. However, her father was denied a visa by the Indian authorities.
