Kathmandu, March 25

Nepal No 1 pro Sukra Bahadur Rai faltered on the back nine and slipped seven places down after the third round of the Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge at the Karnataka Golf Association course in Bengaluru.

The Dharan-based pro played three-over 75 in the penultimate day for the 54-hole total of even-par 216. After opening the event co-sanctioned by Indian Tour and Challenge Tour 7ith even-par 72, Rai carded three-under 69 in the second round to survive the cut which fell at 141.

Rai, who started the day from the 10th tee, began where he had left yesterday and carded two-under 34 with the help of birdies on the 11th and 13th holes to move up to 38th position.

But he lost it completely on the back nine and faced three bogeys and a double bogey for five-over 41.

He dropped shots on the second, third and fifth holes before suffering a double bogey seven on the ninth.

With the poor performance, Rai fell seven positions down in the leaderboard to share the 64th position with India's Karthik Sharma, who also signed the card for 75.

Only four golfers are behind them in the $300,000 event. Rai 7ho is playing in the second season of the Professional Golf Tour of India , competing in the first event under the Challenge Tour, a second-tier tour of the European Tour.

Lorenzo Scalise carded seven-under 65 to move six places up to the top with the total score of 15-under 201.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 26, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.