Kathmandu, August 21:

Chaudhary Group, KIA Motors and Yeti Airlines combined to assist Shiva Ram Shrestha, who qualified for the Professional Golfers Tour of India (PGTI) for the 2007-08 season.

Out of the Rs 600,000 budget for a year, Wai Wai of Chaudhary will sponsor Rs 300,000, while KIA Motors (Continental Trading Enterprises Pvt Ltd) and Yeti Airlines will bear Rs 150,000 each, said Shiva Ram’s promoter and senior golfer Tashi Ghale today.

Executive Director of Chaudhary Group Nirman Chaudhary and Shiva Ram exchanged the memorandum of understanding. RNGC President Madhukar Yakthumba, Nepal Golf Association President Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, Nepal Professional Golfers’ Association President Ghana Shyam Thapa, RNGC captain Rabindra Man Shrestha, NGA treasurer and President of Continental Trading Enterprises Pvt Ltd Suhrid Ghimire, and General Manager of Chaudhary Group GB Shah were also present.

Shrestha, who finished 20th at the PGTI Qualifying School held last month in Gurgaon, Hariyana, is the first ever Nepali pro to qualify for the Indian tour.

The 23-year-old golfer, who was one of the nine foreigners and 48 overall golfers to qualify for the PGTI, hoped to do something for the country. Apart from the PGTI events, he will also take part in the All Thailand Open (September 22-25), Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open (November 29- December 2), Asian Tour Qualification (first round from November 7-10 and final round from December 5-8), and Surya Nepal Masters.

“We are planning to make Thailand, where Shiva Ram has been under training since last eight months, his base station for his bright future,” said Ghale, who is largely responsible for grooming the young talent from a caddy to a top-class golfer.

For the All Thailand Open, Shrestha will undergo training under the supervision of Aaron Bergman from September 5 in Thailand.

Thanking sponsors for their generous support, Ghale said the move would help Shrestha gain fame in the golfing sector.