Hulencourt (Belgium), June 15 (IANS) India’s rookie Avani Prashanth, starting the final day with a one-shot lead, faltered in the fourth and final round at the Hulencourt Women’s Open. She shot 3-over 75 and finished in a tie for fifth which was still her best of the season. Avani finished at 7-under 281.

Another rookie Darcey Harry of Wales celebrated her 22nd birthday which fell this week, by recovering from an early bogey for a round of 68 and a total of 13-under for the week. It was Darcey’s first career win.

Avani, who led by one shot at the start of the day opened bogey-bogey and never really recovered from that setback. Avani dropped shots on the first, second and the ninth and slipped from 11-under to 8-under. A birdie on Par-5 13th was a small consolation and she ended with another bogey on he 18th for a 75, which was her worst card of the week after the first three rounds of 68-69-69. She finished at 7-under in a tie for fifth place with Lauren Walsh (71).

The tied fifth place was the best finish for Avani as a professional and equalled her best of a similar T-5 in the 2023 Hero Women’s Indian Open, when she was still an amateur. Avani also has four Top-20 finishes this season.

Diksha Dagar (72) was T-23 at 1-under while Tvesa Malik (76) was T-48. Diksha had two birdies and two bogeys.

Darcey Harry of Wales, who was one behind the Indian at the start also bogeyed the start, but the Welsh golfer was on fire from fifth hole. She birdied the fifth, eighth, ninth and the tenth.

A stutter with a bogey on the 11th was brushed aside by an eagle on the 13th and a birdie on the 14th. She reached 14-under and was four shots clear of second-placed Nastasia Nadaud (71). Darcey could afford a bogey on the 16th and then closed with two pars for a three-shot win, her first in her first season on the Ladies European Tour.

Overall Darcey had five birdies, three bogeys and an eagle. It was her second eagle of the week, after one on the tenth on the third day.

Nastasia who was tied second with Darcey after the third day, but one behind Avani, had six birdies, but she also gave away three bogeys and a late double bogey on the Par-4 12th. Nastasia shot 71 and was 11-under and sole second.

Amelia Garvey (66) had one of the best rounds of the day and rose from T-18 to third, while Helen Briem had one birdie and one bogey in a round of 72 and was sole fourth at 8-under.

–IANS

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