New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The 15-year-old Yogya Bhalla (229) and 17-year-old Raza Kaur (235) emerged as winner and runners-up, respectively as the 14th DGC Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship 2024 concluded at the Delhi Golf Club, here on Thursday.

Yogya Bhalla finished the event with a score of 229 while Raza Kaur ended second with 235, despite a tie with Ayesha Gupta on the same score.

The three-day 54-hole WAGR tournament, which took place on the Lodhi and Peacock course, witnessed 110 talented women golfers showing their mettle on the course. Of these, 22 ladies competed for the championship title. In a rare feat to achieve on the golf course, Simran Bajaj shot a hole-in-one on the fifth hole.

This year’s competition featured an impressive lineup of players, including rising stars like Yogya Bhalla, Raza Kaur, Mayali Kashyap, Ayesha Gupta, and Bhavya Mann, who are all familiar faces on the international circuits.

Like last year, this year’s championship was also eligible for World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points. The WAGR, overseen by the R&A and USGA, is a prestigious global ranking system for elite amateur players, featuring over 10,000 participants across more than 4,000 events worldwide.

Mala Bawa, Lady Captain at DGC, said, “It is inspiring to see the energy and sportsmanship of all the participants and it is because of USHA's steadfast support that we’ve witnessed this evolution of women’s golf in India. It’s incredibly heartening to witness growing participation each year, with players ranging from 10 to 80 years old.

"The recognition by WAGR reinforces that we are on the right path in creating impactful opportunities for our junior women golfers in the country and encouraging gender equality in the sport,” she was quoted as saying in a release on Thursday.