Golfers to go to China, Thailand

Kathmandu, September 21

A three-member golf team is on Sunday leaving for China to participate in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to be at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai.

Golfers Subash Tamang, Sukra Bahadur Rai and Tanka Bahadur Karki will take part in the tournament slated for September 26-29. After taking part in the tournament in China, the three players will travel to Bangkok to participate in the 85th Thai Amateur Open Championship scheduled for October 1-4 at the Panya Indra Golf Club.

Two golfers, Rahul BK and Neeraj Tamang will join them in Bangkok. All five players are currently in the national team and are preparing for the upcoming 13th South Asian Games, slated for December 1-10 in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

After participating in the tournament, the players will undergo training in Bangkok for a week.

Member Secretary of National Sports Council Ramesh Kumar Silwal bade farewell to the players today.

National Team Training Department Director Mahendra Kumar Rai, Nepal Golf Association President Tashi Ghale, General Secretary CB Bhandari and Secretary Chandra Rai were also present at the programme.

No Nepali player has made the cut in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and NGA President Tashi Ghale hoped that the players would create history in China. “Sukra Bahadur Rai missed the cut by one stroke in the previous edition of the tournament held in Singapore last year and I believe the historic moment would come this time around in China,” he added.

Member Secretary Silwal said the SA Games was an opportunity for the players to shine on home soil. “We might fall behind other South Asian countries in professional golf but I believe we are of similar standard in amateur golf,” he said.