Greater Noida: Kolkata's Neha Tripathi returned with a score of 2 under 70 to soar to pole position on Day 1 of the Rs.6 lakh 15th leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour here on Tuesday. Trailing her by one stroke is veteran Smriti Mehra at the Jaypee Greens.

Neha started the quest for her first title of the season in style, playing a bogey-free front nine with a lone birdie on the eighth. She kept the momentum going on her return journey and fired two more birdies on the 11th and 14th. Her lone blemish came on the 17th.