French golfer Gwlady Nocera overcame a slight blip in form to card a one-under 72 on the final day and win the USD 300,000 Hero Women's Indian Open, while Vaishavi Sinha was the best-placed Indian at fifth in the event here today.
The tournament was tri-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour, the Ladies Asian Golf Tour and the Women's Golf Association of India, here today.
India's Vaishavi Sinha, who was in sole second spot after two rounds, suffered a meltdown on the 18th hole in which she double bogeyed to slip to sole fifth place on the final leaderboard.
For her second win in India, Nocera had to work hard on the final day to win the glittering trophy and the winner's cheque of USD 45,000.
The first one came in 2007 in the Emmar-MGF Ladies Masters. The number two ranked golfer on the 2014 LET Order of Merit started the day on a positive note when she birdied the second hole.
But two bogeys on the fifth and ninth holes blemished her card on the front nine. Nocera picked her game on the back nine by birding the 11th, 12th and 17th holes against one bogey on the 15th hole.
"It's always good to win, I love it, and it's nice to win in India for a second time, so I'm really pleased. It worked out really well the first day and after that I tried to play my game and that's it," she said.
"I got nervous, or a little bit frustrated, about my putting. I stayed patient and it paid off. I love coming here, it's always on my schedule. India is a beautiful country and people are really nice and that's why I enjoy coming here.
"I have a tendency to play well because I feel comfortable," she added.
Sinha, who eschewed risks in the decisive round, looked set to finish as a worthy runner-up in India's most prestigious women's golf tournament, but on the 18th hole, she pulled out the driver in her quest to find a few extra yards, but only managed to hit the ball off the tee into the bushes.
India's Gauri Monga, too had a good outing. She finished in tied eight with a three-day total of 217. Aditi Ashok was the best amateur this year with a final round score of three under 70 and a total of 219 that helped her finish tied 13th.
