Kathmandu, September 13

Sukra Bahadur Rai took the lead after the first round of Faldo Series Nepal Championship here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.

Rai carded four-over 76 to stay atop the leaderboard in the boys’ 17-21yrs age category. Rai took the turn at one-under 35 and added five-over 41 on the back nine.

Rai is three strokes ahead of Tejendra Thapa Magar and Yubraj Bhujel, after both the golfers shot seven-over 79. Raju Diwakar played a round of nine-over 81 ta remain at fourth position.

Rai carded birdie on the third hole and saved pars in others for one-under 35 on front nine. On the back nine, he made bogies on 10th, 11th, 12th, and 14th and faced a double bogey on the 15th hole. He carded a lone birdie on 17th for a five-over 41.

Tshiring also made a single birdie on the seventh hole for one-under 35 on the front nine. After taking the turn, he faced bogies on 10th, 11th and 15th and suffered a triple bogey on par-3 13th hole. He carded birdies on the 12th and 17th holes for five-over 41.

In the boys’ 12-16yrs age category, Aryaan Kumar and Tenzing Tshiring shared the lead with the scores of four-over 76. Both the players carded one-under 35 on the front nine and played five-over 41 on the latter half. Luca Duidi from Italy was third at 79, while Subash Ghising (85) and Binod Tamang (86) are further behind.

Dubai-based Indian golfer Kumar scored one-under 35 on the front nine with the help of birdies on first and third holes against a bogey on the sixth. On the back nine, he scored five-over 41 after making bogies on 11th, 14th, 16th and a double bogey on 15th holes.

In girls’ section, Sifat Kaur Alag of India carded seven-over 79 to stay at the top, while Pratima Sherpa was a distant second at 89.

Alag scored four-over 40 on the front that included bogies on the second, sixth, seventh and eighth holes. On the back nine, she carded a birdie on 12th hole but made double bogey on the 15th and dropped shots on last two holes for three-over 39.

The 54-hole event is organised by Nepal Golf Association and Gokarna Forest Resort. In all, 25 junior golfers are taking part in the tournament. Top player each from three categories will earn berths in the 11th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final to be held in Vietnam in March 2017.

Supported by The R&A and endorsed by Asian Tour and Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2016-17 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretches over 11 months.

As well as two events in China, India and Thailand, the championships are staged in Nepal, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.