Kathmandu, September 23

Prithvi Malla and Surendra Phuyal earned berths in the GEC Open — Dubai Corporate Golf World Cup —  after they won the selection tournament here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.

Malla won the gross section title with 34 points, while Phuyal bagged nett category trophy with 40 points. They will now participate in the GEC Open slated for December 13-14 in Dubai. Golfers from 18 countries will take part in the event which will be played over 36 holes —18 each at the Trump International and Emirates Golf Club.

Malla scored 19 points on the front nine and added 15 on the latter half. The scratch handicapper Malla carded two straight birdies on the third and fourth holes before dropping a shot on the next.

On the back nine, Malla had two bogeys on the 10th and 15th holes apart from a double bogey on the 16th against a lone birdie on the 12th hole.

The nett section winner Phuyal was runner-up in gross section with 33 points. Phuyal accumulated 40 stableford points in nett category. The nine-handicap amateur Phuyal earned 21 points on the front nine with the help of a birdie on the fourth hole against bogeys on the second and fifth.

After taking the turn, Phuyal carded birdies on the 13th and 14th but went on to drop shots on the 10th, 12th, 16th and 18th holes for 19 points. Sonam Norbu Lama came second with 38 points.

Vijay Shrestha Einhaus won the longest drive award, while Purna Man Shakya bagged the closest-to-the-pin trophy. A total of 36 members of Gokarna Golf Club took part in the event played under stableford 3/4 handicap format. President of Gokarna Golf Club Suhrid  Ghimire handed over the prizes to the winners.