KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 7
Rabi Khadka maintained his one-stroke lead over Bhuvan Nagarkoti after the second round of the season-opening Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open here at the Royal Nepal Golf Club today.
Khadka carded four-under 64 to add to his overnight score of six-under 62 and posted a total of 10-under 126. Nagarkoti returned a bogey-free four-under 64 to remain one shot off the pace at nine-under 127 in the first event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2022-23.
Both Khadka and Nagarkoti took the turn at three-under 31 and carded one-under 33 on the back nine. Khadka carded four birdies on the first, third, fourth and sixth holes before dropping a shot on the ninth. He then carded birdies on the 14th and 17th and faced a bogey on the 16th hole. Nagarkoti carded birdies on the second, fourth and fifth holes on front nine and added another on the 15th after taking the turn. Ramesh Adhikari shot second straight one-under 67 to move up to third with the total score of two-under 134.
After carding a one-under 33 on the front nine, Adhikari played even-par 34 on the latter half. He carded four birdies on the first, third, fourth, and ninth but he was undone by a doublebogey on the fifth and a bogey on the seventh. Adhikari carded birdies on the 11th and 13th but again went on to face bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes.
Nepal No 1 pro Sukra Bahadur Rai faltered to three-over 71 and dropped down to share the fourth place with Pradeep Kumar Lama and Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan, who both carded one-under 67. Krishna Man Rajbahak (68) was seventh at oneover 137, while three pros - Surya Prasad Sharma (69), Jayram Shrestha (70) and Niraj Tamang (72) - shared the eighth place at two-over 138.
Teaching pro in Germany, Sabin Sapkota was the notable pro to go out after the cut fell at 15- over 151. Sapkota didn't fare well in the tournament playing the rounds of 80 and 81 in the two rounds. A total of 21 pros and four amateurs made it to the final two rounds.
In amateur section, Ajit BK opened up 17-stroke lead over Suresh Tamang and Prajwal Thapa. BK played four-over 72 to post 36-hole total of six-over 142. Tamang played 73, while Gurung faltered to 81. Khop Jung Gurung (86) also made it to the final two rounds. A total of 31 pros and five amateurs are taking part in the first event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2022- 23 organised by the Nepal PGA under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Private Limited.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 9, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
