The penultimate leg of the Hero Women Pro Golf Tour 2025 at the Ram Bagh Golf Club in Jaipur opened on Wednesday with a tightly contested leaderboard and storylines reflecting both season-long dominance and late-season resilience.
At the end of Round 1, three players Vani Kapoor, Shagun Narain, and Jahanvi Bakshi shared the lead with identical rounds of two-under 68, each arriving there through contrasting paths shaped by rhythm, experience, pressure, and recovery.
This 14th leg holds added weight as one of the final opportunities to influence the Order of Merit (OoM) standings. With just one event left after Jaipur, every round is carrying implications whether it is reinforcing a title bid, fighting for a breakthrough win or simply restoring competitive rhythm before the season closes. Coming into Jaipur, Vani Kapoor led the season’s OoM comfortably, supported by four victories and two runner-up finishes across the year. Her opening round on Wednesday reinforced why she has been the most consistent performer on the domestic circuit in 2025.
Kapoor surged through the front nine in four-under 30, the best nine-hole score of the day, displaying her typical combination of clean ball-striking and confident pace control on the greens. Her driving accuracy set up multiple stress-free approach shots, and she capitalised with converted putts at key scoring holes. However, the back nine told a different story. As the winds stiffened and approach angles tightened, Kapoor dropped shots at the 15th and the Par-5 17th, both holes that have challenged players through the afternoon. The late corrections held her at 68 (-2), enough for a share of the lead, but highlighted the narrow margins on a course that offers little comfort once momentum breaks.
Despite the slip, Kapoor remains structurally in a strong position — not only in the tournament but also in the larger context of the OoM race. Her main season challenger, Amandeep Drall, opened with a difficult 74 (+4), widening Kapoor’s advantage.
Narain’s Control and Composure Signal a Push for Maiden Title
Among the three co-leaders, Shagun Narain delivered the most controlled and error-free round of the day. Her bogey-free 68 reflected not only accuracy but a deliberate strategy rooted in course management. Narain recorded birdies on the 8th and 9th, building steady rhythm without forcing risk. Narain has been in the position of chasing a maiden professional title multiple times before, often playing well deep into rounds before pressure altered execution.
Her opening round on Wednesday suggested measured awareness an approach that acknowledges both opportunity and caution, especially on Ram Bagh’s narrower and more hazard-influenced back nine. As the tournament progresses, Narain’s challenge will be sustaining patience. She does not need to chase low numbers; she needs to continue playing the course rather than playing the leaderboard. If the event turns into a mental duel, her Round 1 stability could prove decisive.
Bakshi’s Return Marks a Statement of Resilience
The most emotionally significant leaderboard entry belongs to Jahanvi Bakshi, returning from a prolonged injury layoff that disrupted much of her season. Her round of 68 (-2) carried two different phases as well: a steady even-par front nine, followed by a burst of scoring on the back nine, where she registered four birdies between the 10th and 15th holes, including three in a row. However, the Par-5 17th, which shaped much of the day’s scoring outcomes, halted her run. A miscalculated second shot and a difficult recovery attempt led to a double bogey, forcing her back into the tie rather than leading outright.
Yet the round was a meaningful statement Bakshi showed not only physical recovery but also the confidence to play aggressively under tournament pressure. Her return adds competitive depth to the leader group. More importantly, it reintroduces her as a contender heading into the final stretch of the season.
Ram Bagh Golf Club, a Par-70 layout, rewards precision and short-game sharpness more than distance. With only two Par-5 scoring opportunities, every birdie holds elevated value. The back nine, particularly holes 15 to 17, has emerged as the decisive stretch. Multiple players across the field saw early momentum checked in this closing phase. Just behind the leading trio, four players sit at one-under 69, including Jasmine Shekar, currently third in the OoM standings. Amateur golfer Riya Jadon matched the 69, finishing as the top amateur on day one further reinforcing the tour’s role in developing competitive depth.
Meanwhile, some experienced players including those recently active in the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) posted scores that reflected fatigue or scheduling strain. The IGPL has brought increased prize money and exposure, but balancing two intense tours is visibly testing form for several professionals as the domestic season reaches its final phase.
The shared lead means the tournament remains open, but the storylines are now clearly drawn:
- Vani Kapoor will look to protect both a tournament position and an OoM cushion.
- Shagun Narain will attempt to convert form into a first title, through disciplined golf rather than pursuit.
- Jahanvi Bakshi will try to complete a comeback arc defined by resilience rather than interruption.
With two rounds to play, Jaipur’s 14th leg is shaping into a closing-season contest where momentum, patience, and late-hole focus will likely decide not only the trophy but the order of merit race that frames an entire season.
