Kathmandu, May 6 :

Ravi Paudel won the Indian Ambassador’s Cup golf tournament organised by the Embassy of India here at the Royal Nepal Golf Club today.

Playing on the first day of the two-day event, Paudel accumulated 37 stable ford points on Friday, but Lt Col Milan Mathur got the same score on Saturday and Paudel won the event on count back.

Apart from the trophy, Paudel also got return ticket to New Delhi and lunch coupon at Hotel Soaltee, while Mathur received a holiday package at Shangrila Village, Pokhara.

SK Singh won the 1-9 handicap section title on count back after the RNGC president was tied at 36 points with young sensation Chuda Bahadur Bhandari. Lt Gen Chitra Bahadur Gurung accumulated 36 points to win the 10-18 handicap section title. Lt Gen Krishna Narayan Singha Thapa was runner-up with 34 points.

Maj Bejoy Moktan emerged victorious in the above-45 years section title with 36 points while Kalyan Govinda Shrestha finished runners up with 34 points. RNGC Captain Deep Bahadur Basnet

won the below-45 years section title with 35 points, while Hrideshwar Kumar Singh came second with 34 points.

Sandhya Rai won the ladies section title with 32 points, way ahead of Sabitri Rai, who got 24 points. Deep Bahadur Basnet won the longest drive award at Hole No 14, while Maj Man Bahadur Limbu emerged the golfer nearest to the pin at Hole No 14.

Chief of the Army Staff Pyar Jung Thapa, who played alongside two ambassadors, was declared the best in the group. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, US ambassador to Nepal James F Moriarty, COAS Thapa and RNGC President SK Singh played in the group.

Lt Gen Rukmangad Katwal won the best sportsmanship award. Kalyan Govinda Shrestha achieved a rare feat when he had a hole in one at Hole No 6.

In the ladies putting competition for the non-golfers, Priyanka Bhardwaj came first for the second straight year, ahead of Harbinder Singh.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee gave away prizes to the winners of the tournament, which was participated in by 84 golfers including six ladies.

Speaking on the occasion, Mukherjee thanked all the supporting hands to make the event a grand success. RNGC president Singh and captain Basnet also expressed their views.