Kathmandu, April 18: Golf in Nepal was introduced by the Rana families after one of the ministers returned home from Scotland with a golf club.

The playing ground during that period was Gaucharan which is now known as Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) and the first ever recorded tournament was Lava Cup back in 1920.

Ever since golf in Nepal have seen steady rise in terms of development and players performance. Golfers like Shiva Ram Shrestha, Deepak Thapa Magar, Deepak Acharya, Rabi Khadka and Ramesh Nagarkoti have successed in making their mark.

Over the years, even the number of golf courses have increased not just in the Kathmandu Valley but also in places

like Pokhara and Dharan. Golf has not just been developing as a profession but has also immensely contributing in attracting tourists. With rise of golf tournaments, international tourism linked to golf has been on a steady rise over the years.

Surya Nepal has played a significant role in the development of golf in Nepal. Under the aegis of Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Surya Nepal Khelparyatan, it has been contributing in promoting golf and tourism through national and international tournaments.

Surya Nepal Masters has established itself as the most sought after event for the last 15 years. The 16th edition of the tournament starts on April 21, with the Pro-Am event, followed by the main tournament from April 22-25 at Gokarna Club.