Anika varma

Abu Dhabi Golf Club: Mannat Brar, making her fourth appearance at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Golf (WAAP) Championships, equalled the best round by an Indian with a four-under 67 here on Thursday. Mannat was the best of the six Indians in the fray and was lying tied-ninth after the first day at the picturesque Par-71 Hoiana Shores course, which is hosting its first big event.

Mannat was four shots behind Seo-Jin Park (64) with four others at 6-under 65. Mannat was tied ninth with An Le Chuc of Vietnam, Eunseo Choi of New Zealand, and Jie-En Lin of Chinese Taipei. Saanvi Somu at 1-over 72 was the second-best Indian at T-42, and debutant Guntas Kaur Sandhu (73) at 2-over was T-48. Heena Kang and debutant Zara Anand, with 76 each, were T-76, and another debutant, Kashika Misra (78) was T-83rd.

The top 50 and ties will make the cut after the second round. The favourite and World No. 4 Rianne Malixi withdrew after five holes because of a back strain.