Kathmandu, March 28
Former top pro Rabi Khadka carded a five-under 63 to take one-stroke lead on the first day of the Surya Nepal Challenge here at the Royal Nepal Golf Club today.
Khadka played an impressive three-under 31 on the front nine before carding two-under 32 after the turn. He was one stroke ahead of fellow RNGC pro Dinesh Prajapati, who carded a bogey-free four-under 64 in the sixth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2022-23.
Khadka began the day with a birdie and sank an eagle on the fourth, while he saved pars on seven other holes before taking the turn. Khadka carded a birdie on the 10th but he dropped a shot on the 16th hole. He then ended the day on a high with birdies on the last two holes. Prajapati carded two each birdies on two halves as he shot two-under 32 on either half. He carded birdies on the fourth and fifth holes before adding two more on the 10th and 13th.
Another former Nepal No 1 pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti and veteran Deepak Magar were further two strokes down at third after they carded two-under 66, while Bhuwan Kumar Rokka shared the fifth position with amateurs Subash Tamang and Suresh Tamang at one-under 67. Rame Magar was eighth at even-par 68.
One a day when seven golfers broke the par, pros Dhana Bahadur Thapa and Shivaram Poudel were tied for ninth at oneover 69 with amateurs Yubraj Bhujel and Sadbhav Acharya. Sanjok Moktan (70) was further one stroke behind at 13th position. A total of 37 golfers – 30 pros and seven amateurs – are taking part in the event that carries a purse of Rs 545,000. Top three pros will receive Rs 100,000, Rs 65,000 and Rs 46,000 respectively.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 29, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
