KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 16

Top Nepali pro Sukra Bahadur Rai made a flying start in the IndianOil Servo Masters Golf Tournament at the Digboi Golf Links in Assam today.

Rai carded four-under 68 to earn a share of seventh position with a Sri Lankan and four Indian golfers. The pack of six pros are five strokes off pace, with Indian Yuvraj Singh Sandhu leading at nine-under 63.

Rai carded two-under 34 on either half in the first round. Starting the day from the 10th tee, Rai carded four birdies on the 11th, 13th, 14th and 18th holes in his front nine. He faced a double bogey seven on the 15th after he found a water hazard with the approach shot. After taking the turn, the Dharan-based pro carded three birdies on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes and faced a bogey on the sixth.

Leader Sandhu carded 10 birdies and faced a bogey on his way to 63. Sri Lankan Anura Rohana was one shot behind at 64 after he carded seven birdies and an eagle against a bogey. India's Kshitij Naveed Kaul was third at 65, while Arjun Sharma was next at 66. Rohan Dhole Patil and Divyanshu Bajaj shared the fifth position at 67, one stroke ahead of the pack of six players including Nepali pro Rai.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 17, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.