Kathmandu, October 27:

The Surya Nepal 9th SAARC Golf Championship is all set to begin on November 1 at the Le Meridien Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa.

The amateur golfers of six South Asian nations will vie for the championship. Tashi Ghale, Rupak Acharya, Rabi Khadka, Kesang Lama and Swastika Shrestha will represent Nepal in the event. The event will be one more feather on the glorious history of the golf that was introduced by the Ranas.

In 1993, the biggest professional golf event – the Surya Nepal Masters began with the support from Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd. The event continues to be the biggest event with Surya Nepal sponsoring it under its Khelparyatan initiatives.

It was in May 2003 that the Le Meridien Gorkarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa hosted the Nepal Amateur Open Golf opening up avenues for the higher level of golfing opportunities for the amateurs in the country.

Looking at the Nepali golfing history, the growth of golf in recent years is remarkable with more sponsors like the Surya Nepal coming forward to help grooming young talents.

Acharya, a promising talent:

KATHMANDU: A promising young golfer, Rupak Acharya will rub his shoulder against the top amateur golfers of the South Asian region when the Surya Nepal ninth SAARC Golf Championship tees off here at the Le Meridien Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa from November 1.

Born in a family where golf was a favourite sport, the 26-year-old Acharya got the feel of the sport early in his childhood. “I started playing golf when I was only 10-year old,” says Acharya, who considers his father Shambhu and brother Deepak as the major source of inspiration. His brother Deepak is one of the top professional golfers of the country.

Having a good tutor like Deepak himself at the backyards, the junior Acharya sharpened his golfing skills rapidly winning more than 30 junior championships while finishing runner

up in the PSMI Golf Tournament and Kailash Open Golf Tournament recently in 2006.

“We have a good team and hope we will perform well,” says Acharya of the upcoming Surya Nepal ninth SAARC Golf Championship. Acharya considers the consistency as the strength of the Nepali team.

“I am confident on the approach shot and have substantially improved in putting,” says Acharya, hoping to give his best in the tournament. “I will try to make it to the match-play,” adds Acharya. — HNS