POKHARA, FEBRUARY 24

Top pro Sukra Bahadur Rai won the Surya Nepal Western Open crown for his ninth major title here at the Himalayan Golf Course today.

Rai carded a scintillating five-under 64 – the best card of the 54-hole tournament – for the total score of one-under 206. Rai, who was five strokes off the pace going into the final day, left behind everyone with a superb back nine.

He defeated defending champion, amateur golfer Subash Tamang by two strokes.

Overnight leader Tamang and Rai - who were in different groups - were level on terms after 16 holes and the par-4 17th changed the complexion of the competition.

While Rai carded a birdie on the penultimate hole, Tamang shot an Out of Bounds with a 3-wood and struggled for a bogey. Along with the second title of the current season of Surya Nepal Golf Tour, Rai earned Rs 140,000.

'I had not expected to win the trophy after I played a bad round of four-over 73 on the first day. I recovered a bit with even-par 69 on the second day,' he said.

Rai carded one-under 33 on the front nine before firing a bogey-free four-under 31 on the latter half. He faced bogeys on the second and fifth holes against birdies on the third, sixth and ninth holes.

After taking the turn, Rai carded birdies on the 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th holes. Top amateur golfer, Tamang played two-over 71 in the final round and finished second overall with the score of one-over 208. He bagged the amateur section title with a emphatic 14-stroke victory over local amateur Ajit BK, who played six-over 75 in the final round for a total score of 15-over 222. First-round leader Bhuvan Nagarkoti and Sanjay Lama were tied for second among pros at three-over 210.

Nagarkoti played three-over 72 in the final round, while Lama carded two-over 71 and they earned Rs 78,500 each. Jayaram Shrestha recovered to fourth at 212 after he carded even-par 69 and he received Rs 55,000.

Rame Magar (74) finished fifth at six-over 213 and he received Rs 47,000, while Bhuwan Kumar Rokka (70) came sixth at nine-over 216 and he got Rs 40,500. Dinesh Prajapati (70) was seventh at 218 and he earned Rs 37,000.

Dal Bahadur Lama (77) and Dhana Bahadur Thapa (73) shared the eighth place at 12-over 219, earning Rs 33,000 apiece. Rabi Khadka and Niraj Tamang claimed 10th spot at 220 and they earned Rs 28,500 each.

In all, 45 golfers – 31 pros and 14 amateurs – took part in the tournament organised by the Professional Golfers Association Nepal under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd. PGA Nepal President Rabindra Man Shrestha, Nepal Golf Association President Tashi Ghale and Regional Sales Manager of Surya Nepal Prakash KC handed over the prizes to the winners. The 23rd edition of the Surya Nepal Western Open will conclude with Pro-Am event on Saturday.

' I am extremely happy that I could play well in the latter stage of the tournament and that landed me a trophy '

- Sukra Bahadur Rai

A version of this article appears in the print on February 25, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.