Monga surges to lead

Gauri Monga,a former All India Ladies winner,shot a second successive 73 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Usha IGU Southern India Ladies tournament in Bangalore. Monga,third last week at the Karnataka Ladies event,is one shot clear of Gursimar Badwal (74-73),who shares the second place with Tvesa Malik (74-73).

With the course at the KGA still not yielding easy scores,there were no sub-par scores for the second day in a row. Noida-based Monga dropped two bogeys on the front nine,but then made up with steady streak of eight pars followed by a birdie on 18th on back nine. Overnight leader Astha Madan dropped down the leaderboard with a second round of 76 after a first round 72. That put her at 148 in tied fourth place alongside Raksha Phadke (74-74).

Gurbani Singh,the No. 1 last season,and winner of both events this season,continued to trail in sixth place as she carded 74 after a first round 75. But at 149 she is three behind Gauri and she could still give the leader a run for her money in the closing stages of the tournament. Astha Madan (72-76) also lost her top place in Category A,as Tvesa Malik (74-73) moved to first. Gurbani Singh (75-74) was lying third.