POKHARA, MARCH 30

Top amateur golfer Subash Tamang began the Surya Nepal Western Open campaign on a high carding a two-under 66 here at the Himalayan Golf Course today.

The 13th South Asian Games double gold medallist, Tamang was the lone golfer to break the par in the first round and he took a twostroke lead over pro Jayram Shrestha in the fifth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021-22. Shrestha, the winner of the season-opener Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open, carded even-par 68.

Tamang carded a total of five birdies and suffered a double bogey and a bogey in the round. He made a bright start carding birdies on the third, fifth and sixth holes before facing a double bogey on the ninth that forced him to take the turn at one-under 32.

Shrestha carded one-under 34 on the latter half after taking the turn at one-over 34. He carded a birdie on the sixth but dropped shots on the fourth and ninth holes on the front nine.

Local amateur Ajit BK and pro Ramesh Adhikari shared the third position at one-over 69, while veteran pro Rame Magar was further one shot behind at fifth. Dinesh Prajapati, Niraj Tamang and Dhana Bahadur Thapa shared the sixth position at 71, while Nepal No 1 pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti and Rabi Khadka were tied for ninth at 72. Nagarkoti had a mixed day as he aced the par-3 seventh for his second Hole-in-One in two days,, while the top pro suffered a quadruple bogey on the final hole.

Sanjay Lama was 11th at 73 whereas local pro Dal Bahadur Lama, Bal Bhadra Rai, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and amateur Suresh Tamang were tied for 12th at six-over 74. Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan was disqualified for wrong entry, while Surya Prasad Sharma and Tham Bahadur Rai pulled out on medical grounds. Amateur Khamir Jung Gurung was out after firing a 99 in the first round.

The 54-hole tournament, participated in by 25 pros and 14 amateurs carries a cash purse of Rs 775,000.

Top 21 pros and at least six amateurs will make the cut after 36 holes. Top three pros will receive Rs 135,000, Rs 88,000 and Rs 65,000 respectively. The tournament will conclude with a Pro-Am event on Saturday.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 31, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.