The Kapurthala golfer who leads the combined Hero Order of Merit for 2020-21 was one shot ahead of the highly-rated amateur Avani Prashanth (69), who had four birdies against one bogey.

Amandeep and Avani had a bogey-free 3-under 33 each on the back nine. They also had a birdie each on the front nine, but Avani also dropped a shot on the ninth, while Amandeep stayed error-free.

Avani was the winner of the third leg and runner-up in the seventh leg in 2021. Amandeep is yet to taste a win in 2021, though she had two in 2020. She was runner-up to Avani in the third leg, so she has a score to settle with the youngster.

Seher Atwal and Jahanvi Bakshi also carded under-par rounds of 1-under 71 each to be Tied-third. Seher and Jahanvi had contrasting rounds producing similar scores. Seher had two birdies on front nine, while Jahanvi had two bogeys.

However, on the back nine, Seher had two birdies against three bogeys, while Jahanvi had three birdies and no bogeys.

Vani Kapoor, with three birdies between ninth and 13th against three bogeys, two of them in the last three holes, shot 72. Amateur Puneet K Bajwa, who landed the day’s only eagle on the Par-3 16th, also had a 72 with an eventful run from 13th to 17trh, where she had no pars, but three bogeys with a birdie and an eagle in between.

Gaurika Bishnoi started with a birdie on second but form deserted here thereafter. She had four bogeys in a space of five holes between fifth and ninth and on the back nine she had two each of birdies and bogeys.

Pranavi Urs, Rhea Saravanan, and Hitaashee Bakshi were also Tied-seventh with Gaurika at 3-over 75.