The local registers five-stroke victory over No 1 amateur golfer Tamang
DHARAN, DECEMBER 29
Local pro Sukra Bahadur Rai won the Surya Nepal Eastern Open for his fifth career title here at the Dharan Golf Club today.
Rai, who turned pro after winning team event gold medal in the 13th South Asian Games in 2019, posted the winning total of one-under 209 after he played one-over 71 in the third and final round of the second event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021- 22. Rai, who had bagged two titles as an amateur including the Eastern Open in 2018 and claimed two more in the pandemic-hit previous season, took his tally to five.
Rai recorded a five-stroke victory over Nepal No 1 amateur and the 13th SA Games double gold medallist Subash Tamang, who rallied from the tied 24th position in the first round to win the amateur section title, and he received Rs 135,000. Tamang returned second round under-par round, carding two-under 68 for the total score of fourover 214.
On a cold, windy and rainy day, defending champion Bal Bhadra Rai finished second among pros despite playing five-over 75 for the total score of seven-over 217. He earned Rs 88,000. Local pros clean swept the top three positions with first-round leader Niraj Tamang finishing as second runner-up with the score of 219. Tamang faltered to eight-over 78 and he got Rs 65,000.
Sanjay Lama (74) came fourth at 220 and he earned Rs 53,500, while Sabin Sapkota, who is a teaching pro in Germany, and Rabi Khadka shared the fifth position at 221 to receive Rs 42,500 each. Khadka, who was one stroke behind leader Sukra Bahadur Rai going into the final round, played a forgettable round of 12-over 82 to slip to joint fifth, while former winner Sapokta played 75 in the final round.
Winner of the season-opening Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open earlier this month, Jayaram Shrestha - who had played rounds of 78 and 77 on the first two days to survive the cut by a shot - carded two-under 68 in the final round to finish seventh at 13-over 223. He earned Rs 36,000.
Nepal No 1 pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti did not fare well in the tournament and he shared the eighth position with Tanka Bahadur Karki, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and Dinesh Prajapati at 14-over 224. They received Rs 30,000 each.
Yubaraj Bhujel was a distant second in amateur section.
He played six-over 76 for the total score of 13-over 223, while Sadbhav Acharya came third at 227.
A total of 48 golfers - 30 pros and 18 amateurs - took part in the 54-hole tournament organised by the Nepal PGA under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd. The event carried a cash purse of Rs 775,000.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 30, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
