Kathmandu, March 13:

Deepak Acharya carded a three-under 69 for the first-day lead at the Himalayan Bank Cup Open Golf Tournament here at Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa today.

Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, an amateur golfer from Royal Nepal Golf Club, was one shot adrift at two-under 70, while Deepak Neupane was third at two-over 74. Three pros — Sabin Sapkota, Deepak Thapa Magar and Ramesh Nagarkoti — were joint fourth at three-over 75.

Bhimsen Karki shot four-over 76, while Pashupati Sharma, his brother Surya Prasad Sharma and Ram Krishna Shrestha were at six-over 78.

Teeing off at the last group along with Deepak Baral and Mani Rai, Acharya had bogeys in the Hole Nos 2 and 8, but pulled birdies in the par-3 fifth and par-5 seventh for an even-par 36 in the front nine. In the back nine, Acharya — Nepal’s top pro and golf director at the GFGR — had birdies in the 12th, 13th and 18th for a three-under 33.

His closest rival, Bhandari, had a bad start with a bogey in the par-4 first hole, but remained on course with birdies in the third and fifth, before dropping a shot in the seventh in front nine.

Bhandari went three-under with birdies in Hole Nos 10-12, but dropped shots in the 14th and 16 for one-under. He finished the day at two-under with a birdie in the par-4 18th.

After an even-par 36 in the front nine, Deepak Neupane had a double bogey in the par-5 11th and a bogey in the 18th for a round of 74. Sabin Sapkota played a round of one-over 37 in the front nine and two over in the back for 75.

Pashupati Sharma, another pro from the host club, dropped three shots each in the front and back nine, while his brother Surya Prasad and Ram Krishna Shrestha became second best among amateurs with 78 each.

In all, 27 golfers including 11 amateurs are taking part in the four-day event, which has been organised by Himalayan Bank Limited. The winner will get Rs 51,000 of the total cash prize of Rs 150,000.