Amandeep Drall brings experience to bear against Ananya Garg

Amandeep Drall’s strategic resilience paid off in a gripping finale at the 12th Hero Women’s Indian Open at Clover Greens, where she clinched a two-shot victory over the spirited Ananya Garg. After a swift transition from competing in Sweden at the Hills Open to the greens of Hosur, Amandeep combined international experience with poise under pressure. Entering the final stretch, both Drall and Garg were locked at 2-under, building palpable tension as they approached the closing holes.

The momentum ebbed and flowed: Ananya, Hero WPG Tour Rookie of the Year 2024, briefly seized the lead after Amandeep's opening bogey, yet the seasoned Drall responded with consecutive birdies on the fourth and fifth, re-tying the match. Throughout the third round, the pair traded command—each bogey and birdie recalibrating the leaderboard. Ananya was ahead early, but Amandeep’s determination surfaced in birdies on key holes, particularly the 15th, only for Ananya to counter with a birdie on the 16th, ensuring the contest remained deadlocked.

The championship was decided on the demanding Par-3 18th. While Ananya faltered with a costly double bogey, Amandeep drew upon her composure, securing a safe par and ultimately her second title of the season. This triumph placed her among the elite multiple winners of the year, alongside Vani Kapoor and Sneha Singh.

Elsewhere, the leaderboard reflected a day of narrow margins and late drama. Anvitha Narender, contending until the closing holes, slipped with a bogey on 15 and a double on 18, finishing tied for third with Ridhima Dilawari. Jasmine Shekar and Sneha Singh shared sixth place, while Mannat Brar, an early frontrunner, succumbed to final-day pressure. The tournament was further enlivened by Anaggha Venkatesh’s standout hole-in-one on the Par-3 11th, a memorable highlight of the week.

In the financial race, Drall’s victory elevated her to second in season earnings, trailing only Kapoor’s lead, and signaled her ascendancy in Indian women’s golf—a testament both to her tenacity and the evolving script of competition on the Hero WPG Tour.