Nepal finish bottom in qualifier

Kuala Lumpur, September 21:

South Korea’s Bae Sang-moon and Kim Hyung-tae won the Fortis International Challenge by three strokes on Sunday as they joined the Philippines and Italy in the World Cup.

Nepal finished at the bottom of the 18-nation tournament after Deepak Thapa Magar and Deepak Neupane carded 78 in the last round for a total of 14-over 302. The duo started well with a round of even-par 72 on the first day, but shot 77 and 75 in the next two rounds before wrapping up with another dismal performance on the last day.

Bae and Kim carded a superb six-under-par 66 in the final round foursomes at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club to overhaul Angelo Que and Mars Pucay of the Philippines, who carded a 70.

Italy’s Francesco Molinari and Edoardo Molinari shot a 68 to pip the luckless Nigerian duo of Oyebanji Gboyega and Odoh Andrew Oche for the third and final ticket to the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China in November.

Hosts Malaysia and Singapore finished joint fifth to miss the boat to China after rounds of 69 and 71 respectively.

FINAL SCORES: 268 - South Korea (63-72-67-66); 271 - Philippines (67-70-64-70); 274 - Italy (68-71-67-68); 276 - Nigeria (69-69-67-71); 277 - Singapore (66-73-67-71), Malaysia

(73-69-66-69); 278 - Hong Kong (66-78-64-70), Pakistan (68-77-65-68); 280 - Myanmar (70-69-71-70); 282 - Uganda (73-74-63-72); 284 -

Sri Lanka (72-72-69-71); 285 - Indonesia (71-72-68-74); 288 - Kenya

(70-71-71-76); 290 - Swaziland

(71-73-67-79); 293 - Bangladesh

(72-73-73-75); 294 - Ghana (67-79-72-76); 301 - Brunei (70-78-72-81); 302 - Nepal (72-77-75-78).