PUNE, India – In a thrilling start to the Women’s Pro Golf Tour (WPGT) 2026 Leg-4, Tvesa Malik and Ridhima Dilawari fired identical 3-under 68s to share the lead after the opening round at Pune Club Golf Course. The duo’s strong performances set the tone for what promises to be an exciting tournament with a record 49 players vying for a Rs 17 lakh prize purse, backed by Hero MotoCorp.
Tvesa, fresh off her playoff victory last week at Oxford Golf Resort, showcased her championship form. She navigated the front nine with one birdie and one bogey, then unleashed a hot streak on the back nine, sinking three birdies in the final four holes to card her 68. Ridhima, meanwhile, blazed through the front nine with five birdies, reaching 6-under after a sixth on the 10th. A bogey on 11 and a double bogey on 15, followed by another bogey on 18, brought her back to 68, but her aggressive play turned heads.
Vani Kapoor, the third player from the marquee group, lurked just one stroke back with a 69, claiming solo third. Amateur Anuradha Chaudhary posted the only other under-par round, a 70, to sit fourth. Lavanya Gupta carded 1-over 72 for fifth, while a quintet – Sneha Singh, Durga Nittur, Jasmine Shekar, Anvitha Narendran, and Vidhatri Urs – shared sixth at 2-over 73.
Among other top stars, Amandeep Drall stood at T-11 with 74, and Neha Tripathi at T-14 with 75. Tvesa’s recent triumph ended a title drought spanning over two years, her last win coming in September 2023 at DLF Gurugram. Last week’s final round saw amateurs Aradhana Manikandan and experienced Vani Kapoor tie for fourth at even par 72, the only players to break par that day.
With Hero MotoCorp’s support elevating the tour, expectations are high for dramatic shifts over the remaining rounds. Fans are glued to see if Tvesa can defend her momentum or if Ridhima’s firepower propels her to glory.