Kathmandu, October 18:

India took a nine-point lead on the first day of the Gaekwad invitational Golf tournament here at the Le Meridien Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa today.

Played on four ball better ball format, India won nine main and two halved matches, while Nepal claimed four main and as many halved matches on the first day.

Joseph Nathan and Dr HS Sodhi gave India the winning start with a victory over Nepal’s Maj Narendra K Rai and Suhrid Ghimire. Gen Pyar Jung Thapa and Dorjee T Sherpa registered first victory for Nepal, when they defeated Suman Sachdev and Greesh Bindra. The best winning pair of the day was India’s S Kazi and JP Singh, who beat Nepali pair of Lt Gen Victory SJB Rana and JB Shrestha on the 12th hole. The pair was seven-up with six holes remaining.

Tashi Ghale won the straightest drive award on the first day, while PK Shrestha claimed the longest drive and SK Singh earned the closest to the pin awards. A total of 52 players, 26 on each side, are taking part in the two-day tournament.

In a tournament for lady golfers, Puspa Rai accumulated 34 points to take lead over Eu Hazur Thapa, who scored 32 points. Rita Thapa (31) and P Yakthumba (26) are the other players in the category. In the diplomat category, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xiang Lin scored 29 points to take a one-stroke lead over Dr Singha Bahadur Basnet.