Standard Chartered Pro-Am today

Parnita the first Indian lady to play in men’s event

Kathmandu, March 26:

The Surya Nepal Masters 2007 is all set to tee off at the Le Meridien Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa with the Standard Chartered Pro-Am from Tuesday. The main event will be played from March 28-31.

Parnita Garewal will be the first Indian woman to play in a men’s event. Parnita, who took part in the first DLF Women’s Indian Open last fortnight, was eager to tee off in Nepal’s biggest golfing event. “I have played at the top level on the Indian amateur circuit. It will be a different experience and I am looking forward to it,” said Parnita.

Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd sponsors the Rs two million event in association with Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Golf Association. The Surya Nepal Masters will see some of the leading players from India and Malaysia, apart from top 20 Nepali professionals.

The winner of Surya Nepal Masters walks away with the winner’s cheque of Rs 324,000.

Former Indian Open winner Feroz Ali, a winner in Surya Nepal Masters four years ago, along with three Malaysian professionals — Sasidaran, Faradil Atras and Lam Kong Loong — are the top draw along with a host of other players who formed the chunk of the top 50 of the Order of Merit of the PGAI in 2005-06 season.

Nepal’s leading pro Deepak Acharya followed by Sabin Sapkota, Deepak Thapa Magar, Ramesh Nagarkoti and Pashupati Sharma amongst others leads the local challenge.