Kathmandu, January 24
Ramesh Adhikari stunned Sanjay Lama, while top three pros advanced to the quarter-finals of the Surya Nepal NPGA Match Play here at the Royal Nepal Golf Club today.
Adhikari, who was ranked 13th in the Order of Merit in last year's Surya Nepal Golf Tour, recorded a 3&1 victory over sixth-ranked Lama in the first round match. He will face fifth ranked Rabi Khadka, a 2&1 winner over No 15 Pradip Kumar Lama, for a place in the last four.
They were joined in the quarter-finals by top pro Sukra Bahadur Rai, defending champion Bhuvan Nagarkoti, Jayaram Shrestha, Dinesh Prajapati, Dhana Bahadur Thapa and Bhuvan Kumar Rokka. Nepal No 1 pro Sukra was the biggest winner of the day as he recorded a 5&4 victory over 20th ranked Tanka Bahadur Karki. Rai will take on No 10 Bhuvan Kumar Rokka, who upset No 9 Rame Magar 2&1.
Second-seeded Bhuvan Nagarkoti beat 19th ranked Sanjok Moktan 2&1 and the defending champion will play against No 8 Dhana Bahadur thapa in the quarter-final match. The Army Club pro, Thapa beat 11th ranked Bal Bhadra Rai 3&2.
Also, third ranked Jayaram was 1-up after the completion of regulation 18 holes against No 17 Krishna Man Rajbahak and he will play against No 7 Dinesh Prajapati, who edged past No 12 Surya Prasad Sharma.
All matches except for the final will be over 18 holes.
The finalists will play over 36 holes. Out of the total cash purse of Rs 250,000, top four pros will receive Rs 60,000, Rs 42,000, Rs 32000 and Rs 24,000 respectively. Four losing quarter-finalists will earn Rs 11,000 each, while the eight pros eliminated from the first round will get Rs 6,000 apiece.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 25, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
