Registers one-shot victory over Tamang in Central Open
KATHMANDU, MARCH 18
Bhuwan Nagarkoti won the Surya Nepal Central Open for his seventh major title here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.
The home club pro, Nagarkoti shot second straight two-over 74 for the total score of seven-under 281.
The reigning Nepal No 1 pro registered one-shot victory over amateur Subash Tamang, who carded one-under 71 in the final round to post the score of six-under 282. Sukra Bahadur Rai finished overall third and second among pros at two-under 286 after he shot fiveover 77.
Nagarkoti was happy to win the first title in almost three years but was not satisfied with the score. "The bogey on the first hole in third round took the momentum away and I just could not regroup," said Nagarkoti, who shot two-over 38 on the front nine before carding even-par 36 on the latter half.
Nagarkoti had last won the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship in May, 2018 defeating Shivaram Shrestha in second playoff hole. He finished on top of Order of Merit in the 2018-19 season without winning a single event.
Rai was one shot off the pace after front nine but he could not push himself and instead dropped four shots on five holes staring from 12th hole.
Tamang, however, put little pressure on Nagarkoti despite facing a double bogey on the 10th hole.
The 13th South Asian Games double gold medallist came within two strokes with birdies on the 12th and 15th holes and he made a birdie putt from around 35 feet on the final hole to close the gap. Nagarkoti coolly made a par putt from three feet to complete the victory.
"I am surprised the way I played golf in the last two days," said Nagarkoti, who received Rs 130,000 along with the trophy.
"I was in form before the tournament and I had set a target of finishing the tournament with the score of at least 15-under. I played according to the plan on the first two days but I could not putt well in the next two rounds," he added.
Rai, who finished overall third, earned runner-up cash prize of Rs 84,000 as Tamang was not eligible to get cash prize as an amateur.
Tamang received amateur's trophy.
Sanjay Lama finished third among pros with the score of two-over 290 after he shot 74 in the final round and he earned Rs 60,000.
Amateur Ajit BK, who played even-par 72, was fifth overall and runner-up in amateur section with the total score of three-over 291, while Vijay Shrestha Einhaus (75) was third among amateurs and overall sixth at 292.
Former top pro Rabi khadka (75) finished fourth among pros at six-over 294 and he received Rs 50,000, while two pros Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan and Deepak Magar shared the fifth position. They earned Rs 39,750. Thapa produced the best card of the day, carding three-under 69, while Pradhan played 76.
Rame Magar, Niraj Tamang, Bal Bhadra Rai and Jayaram Shrestha finished in top 10 among pros.
In all, 44 pros and 17 amateur golfers took part in the season-opening event of Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021. Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd Vice President (Marketing) Dipra Lahiri, Nepal PGA President Rabindra Man Shrestha and Nepal Golf Association President Tashi Ghale gave away prizes to the winners.
The Tour, which features a total of five events with prize purse of Rs 3.86 million, continues with Dharan Open Golf Championship in Sunsari next week.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 19, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
