Panchkula: Sharmila Nicollet, who became the first multiple winner on the Women`s Professional Tour by winning the seventh leg of the Tour, will look to increase her slender lead at the top of the Order of Merit.
Sharmila, winner of the Order of Merit last season, is now a mere Rs. 3,250 ahead of Smriti Mehra.
Sharmila will have a chance to increase that lead over her senior colleague when the eighth leg begins from Monday at the Panchkula Golf Club.
Sharmila, for the first part of the season, had problems with her putting but to her credit, she has managed to hang in and be in contention a good number of times.
Apart from her wins in the sixth and seventh legs, Sharmila has also been runner-up twice this season.
The streak of good finishes also gives Sharmila the ideal boost as the Hero Women`s Indian Open approaches. The USD 300,000 Hero Women`s Indian Open will be held from December 9 to 11 at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
Sharmila`s win last week was comfortable despite her fall in form in the last round when she shot a 75. But she finished six shots ahead of the second place Nalini Singh (Siwach), who is third on the Money list and about Rs. 35,000 behind Smriti.
The Tour has a total of 15 events this season.
Current Order of Merit: 1.Sharmila Nicollet (Rs 338650); 2.Smriti Mehra (Rs 335400); 3.Nalini Singh Siwach (Rs 308100); 4.Neha Tripathi (Rs 264350); 5.Saaniya Sharma (Rs 230150).
PTI
First Published: Sunday, November 13, 2011, 15:49