KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 6
Rabi Khadka opened the Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open campaign with a superb six-under 62 here at the Royal Nepal Golf Club today.
The former Nepal No 1 pro Khadka took an oneshot lead over Bhuvan Nagarkoti, who carded five-under 63 in the season-opening event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2022-23. Top pro Sukra Bahadur Rai, who flew in to Kathmandu from India in a quick break from Professional Golf Tour of India, carded a three-under 65 for third place.
Khadka shot four-under 30 on the front nine and carded two-under 32 on the latter half. He made a flying start with an eagle on the par-5 first hole before carding birdies on the fourth and fifth. He dropped a shot on the sixth but bounced back with a birdie on the eighth hole. On the back nine, Khadka saved three shots on the first four holes carding birdies on the 10th, 12th and 13th before facing his second bogey of the day on the 15th hole.
Nagarkoti carded two-under 32 before taking the turn.
He made a bright start carding birdies on the first two holes and fourth and Nagarkoti saved pars on four straight holes before facing a bogey on the last hole before taking the turn. Nagarkoti fired a bogey-free three-under 31 on the back nine that included birdies on the 10th, 13th and 14th holes.
Third-placed Rai also carded three birdies on the first four holes and dropped a shot on the eighth to take the turn at two-under 32. He then saved pars on eight holes and carded a birdie onthe 13th to finish the back nine at one-under 33.
Niraj Tamang was one stroke behind Rai at fourth after he carded two-under 66, while Ramesh Adhikari was fifth at one-under 67.
On a day when only five golfers were able to break the par, Dhana Bahaur Thapa and Jayaram Shrestha shared the sixth place at even-par 68. Three pros - Surya Prasad Sharma, Dal Bahadur Lama and Krishna Man Rajbahak - were tied for eighth at one-over 69.
Amateur Ajit BK shared the 11th place with pros Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan and Pradeep Kumar Lama at two-over 70. He was at the top in amateur section with eight-stroke lead over Prajwal Gurung (78). In all, 31 pros and five amateurs are taking part in the first event that carries a cash purse of Rs 670,000. Top three pros of the four-day event will earn Rs 116,000, Rs 74,000 and Rs 63,000 respectively.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 7, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
