Karma Lakelands’ Head Golf Coach Anup Singh breaks a Guinness World Record

By Deepak Arora

GURUGRAM, March 21: An Indian golfer, Anup Singh, has set a new World Record for “The Farthest Distance Travelled while Controlling a Golf Ball” by travelling 12 kms while juggling the ball with club and without letting the ball drop through the circumference of the estate of Karma Lakelands here on March 21 morning.

Anup took 2 hours, 27 minutes to complete 12000 meters, 3 rounds of the Karma Lakelands estate and create a new record, which initially set by an American, named Ashrita Furman, by walking 2.903 meters.

Ashrita Furman has 600 World Records registered to his name.

Anup Singh is a national Golf Player and head Golf coach of Karma Lakelands Golf Resorts in Gurugram. He has played the National Circuit in the Junior and Amateur Category and also represented India globally.

With months of practice, Anup has not only broken the record but also set a high standard for the Guinness Records, raising the bar of the sport of Golf.

A certified coach and referee, he practiced for years in rain and sunshine, harsh winter, sometimes with team members and sometimes alone to be physically and mentally prepared for the big day, taking care of his fitness, diet and maintaining focus.

Anup Singh, who has been training and coaching at the 9-hole golf course of Karma Lakelands, is a popular team member. Many team members and senior directors Karma Lakelands cheered and accompanied Anup Singh as he walked the grounds.

“I want to express my heart felt gratitude to mother India, my family and the team of the Karma Lakelands for offering me relentless support and motivation as I set out to achieve this milestone."

"I practiced from 6 to 9 kms, but the constant motivation and cheering of the Karma team members I could walk full 12 kms. I feel blessed to have achieved this record for my country and raise the bar of a sport I love deeply. I plan to attempt few more in coming years,” said an elated and emotional Anup on creating the record.

Speaking on the achievement of Anup Singh, Aryadev Khurana, Director Karma Lakelands said, “We are all immensely proud of Anup and were very sure will create a new record. What is commendable is he walked upto 12000 meters."

Aryadev said " He could have continued to walk for a few more kilometers but asked him to stop, as 12kms is a great record. This laser sharp focus is worthy of an applause! He has not only made a new record, but raised the bar for golf lovers across the globe. We have been watching him for years to prepare for this event and can say his practice and perseverance have finally paid off.”

Karma Lakelands is a par 35, 9-hole golf course that offers an 18-hole experience. Challenging greens and water hazards make it a magnet for any golfer.

What is worthy of an acknowledgement, is the fact that the entire course is organically maintained. The ground water levels are high and mother nature’s splendour is experienced in every breath, every step.

Vani Kapoor Wins DLF Leg of Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour

GURUGRAM, March 23: Vani Kapoor has won the title in the seventh leg of the ongoing season of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the DLF Golf and Country Club. Vani sank a crucial birdie on the closing hole to seal victory.

Vani produced a three-under 69 card, one better than Gaurika Bishnoi who led for a good part of the day but could not find a birdie over the last seven holes.

In the end, it was that one birdie that gave Vani a two-under par 214 and the title in the seventh leg of the ongoing season, the WGAI said.

Gaurika ended at one-under 215 while Ridhima Dilawari, who played alongside Gaurika, too, just missed out.

Ridhima had a chance as she birdied 16 and 17 and needed a third to force a playoff with Vani, but instead double-bogeyed the last hole and fell to third on a three-day total of 217.

Overnight leader Tvesa Malik (77) ran into rough weather in the final round and was fourth, while amateur Vidhatri Urs (76) and Asmitha Sathish (73) were tied for fifth.

Playing in the final group, Gaurika had a chance to force a play-off as she stood over a birdie putt, which, however, was not a straightforward one.

The ball rolled past the hole leaving Gaurika as a runner-up for a second time in three starts with a win in between.

Vani, who started the day three behind 36-hole leader Tvesa Malik, had one birdie and one bogey on the front nine.

As the lead group of Tvesa, Gaurika and Vidhatri made the turn, Gaurika held pole position.

Vani birdied twice early in in the back nine before sealing the win with a third on her closing hole.

“It is great to get back to winning, more so on my home course with my family and friends present,” Vani said.

“I also want to thank everyone here including my coach, Anitya Chand, and my parents,” added Vani, who has been playing mostly on the Ladies European Tour and elsewhere in the past three years.

Gaurika, who started the final day one behind the leader, was unlucky with many of her putts, including the one on 18, which was a tricky eight-footer after bouncing back from an early double-bogey.

Overnight leader Tvesa had an early birdie on the third to stretch her lead but after that nothing went right for her, with four bogeys and a double.

Seher Atwal (73) and Amandeep Drall (73) were sixth and seventh, while Lakhmehar Pardesi, who had seven birdies in her 71, was tied eighth alongside Rhea Jha (75) and amateur Anvvi Dahhiya (77).

Vani, who won her first title on the Hero WPG Tour as an amateur more than 10 years ago, has since won more than 35 titles, most of which have come between 2014 and 2018.

Since then, she has played in Australia, South Africa and the Ladies European Tour, and is still in search for her first pro win on the international circuit.

Sneha Singh, who had a disappointing week in tied 21st place, continues to lead the Hero Order of Merit.

Vani, who won Rs 2,84,000 from the season’s highest purse of Rs. 23 lakh, moved into third place, while Seher Atwal stays second.

Record entries, purse for Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour DLF leg

GURUGRAM, March 20: A record field of 39 will vie for the biggest-ever prize purse at a domestic event in the seventh leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the DLF Golf and Country Club from Tuesday.

Other than Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs almost every other top women golfer will tee up at the event, carrying a purse of Rs. 23 lakh, the WGAI said.

Vani Kapoor, Amandeep Drall, Ridhima Dilawari and Seher Atwal, who have been playing on the Ladies European Tour are in the field.

They will be joined by Tvesa Malik, Neha Tripathi and Gaurika Bishnoi, who are also headed for international commitments.

All five of the season’s winners so far will be in contention including Sneha Singh, the only multiple titleist on the ongoing schedule.

The others are Seher Atwal, Amandeep Drall and Gaurika Bishnoi, who won the sixth leg in a playoff at the Classic GCC against Tvesa Malik.

Hitaashee Bakshi, who is on a comeback after missing out for a while, will also fancy her chances after her first start last week.

The 33 professionals will be joined by six amateurs, including Vidhatri Urs and Lavanya Jadon, who played at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Singapore earlier this month.

Sneha leads the Order of Merit after her two wins and more than Rs.1,09,000 ahead of the second placed Seher Awal.

Amandeep Drall is third and Khushi Khanijau and Jasmine Shekar are fourth and fifth.

Gaurika Bishnoi edges out Tvesa Malik in Classic thriller

GURUGRAM, March 17: Gaurika Bishnoi edged past Tvesa Malik in a tight title clash on the final day of the sixth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Classic Golf and Country Club on Friday.

The duo turned in brilliant bogey-free rounds, Gaurika playing a four-under 68 and Tvesa a three-under 69.

After 54 holes they were locked at six-under 210 leading to a play-off that needed three more holes to resolve, the WGAI said.

Seven players in all had sub-par rounds on Friday with three more returning par scores. The top seven all finished under par.

Gaurika won the playoff on the third extra hole with a birdie while Tvesa managed only a par.

Earlier both birdied the first playoff hole, the tenth and parred the next one on 17.

On the third tiebreak hole, the 18th, Gaurika birdied once again and made amends for missing out in the previous leg when she finished second to Sneha Singh.

Gaurika became the fifth different winner in the six legs held so far.

Friday opened with Amandeep Drall leading on seven-under and in the lead group with Tvesa and Vani Kapoor, who were four shots behind on three-under 141.

Gaurika Bishnoi at two-under for 36 holes was in the second group.

The Gurgaon girl played a steady final round with two birdies on the front nine, added a third midway through the back nine and finished with one more to set the clubhouse target of six-under 210.

Vani Kapoor birdied early but a double bogey spoilt her chances.

She did fight back with three birdies in four holes on her back nine but with pars on the last three holes she was one shot behind the target set by Gaurika,

Tvesa, playing in the lead group, parred her first 12 holes and missed a few birdie chances.

She then landed back-to-back birdies to get back into contention. Three more pars meant Tvesa was still one behind when she came to the 18th green, where Gaurika had holed a birdie a short while earlier.

Tvesa hit her second shot into thick grass but produced a superb third under pressure to land four feet from the pin which she holed to force a playoff.

Amandeep (75) bogeyed twice against one birdie on the front nine but was still ahead at the turn.

However, a rough patch on the back nine with five dropped shots in all meant that not even her closing eagle could save her as she finished on four-under 212.

She was tied with Neha Tripathi (66) for fourth place as Vani Kapoor was sole third on five-under 211.

The day’s best round came from Neha Tripathi, who had three birdies on either side of the course for a bogey-free 66.

Hitaashee Bakshi (72) was sixth on two-under 214, Asmitha Sathish (68) seventh on 215, and Seher Atwal (72) eighth at level par 216.

Amateurs Nishna Patel (70) and Anvvi Dahhiya (72) were ninth and tenth.

Sneha Singh who shot a 71 and finished 12th, continues to lead the Hero Order of Merit, while Seher Atwal is second.

The seventh leg of the Hero WPG Tour will be held next week at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Sneha snatches second Hero WPGT win with closing eagle at Golden Greens

GURUGRAM, March 12: Sneha Singh fired an eagle on the final hole to snatch a dramatic win in the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in Gurgaon on Saturday.

Sneha, a multiple winner on the tour as an amateur, needed the two-shot swing to seal her win even as Gaurika Bishnoi birdied the 54th hole at the Golden Greens course.

Sneha (69) finished on eight-under 208, while Gaurika (68) was second on seven-under 209, the WGAI said.

Sneha who took time getting her first win as a pro did so first in the third leg of this season and she now has two wins on her CV to become the first multiple winner of the season.

The Hyderabad girl started the day two shots ahead of Gaurika and kept the lead till the turn as both were one-under for the front nine.

On the back nine both went toe to toe and birdied early before Sneha went three up with Gaurika dropping a shot.

However, on the very next hole, there was a two-shot swing as Gaurika birdied and Sneha bogeyed before Gaurika picked up another shot.

With both parring the penultimate hole to be level on six-under, the two headed for the 18th tee where Gaurika found a birdie.

Sneha though went one better with her eagle to land the top prize.

Sneha had three birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in the final round, while Gaurika had six birdies against two bogeys in her four-under 68.

Both had sub-par rounds on all three days.

Jasmine Shekar shot 73 in the final round to finish a distant third at even par 216, while Khushi Khanijau (72) was fourth.

Tvesa Malik (72) shot her best score of the week to be tied with Neha Tripathi (71) for fifth, while Riya Yadav (70) was seventh.

Agrima Manral (73) and Rhea Jha (76) were tied for eighth and Shweta Mansingh (71) completed the top ten.

The win took Sneha Singh to the top of the Hero Order of Merit and she now has winnings of Rs. 4,75,667 while Seher Atwal with Rs. 3,57,635 is second.

Jasmine Shekar moves up to third place and Khushi Khanijau is fourth and Amandeep Drall fifth.