The top amateur golfer beats pro Lama, defends Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship title
Kathmandu, April 20
Nepal No 1 amateur golfer Subash Tamang defended the title of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.
Tamang defeated pro Sanjay Lama - who was at the top in the first two rounds - by four strokes to claim his fourth major title. After losing last two amateur section titles to fellow national team golfer Sadbhav Acharya, Tamang returned to winning ways and made it a double with main trophy and amateur title.
Tamang, who was two strokes ahead of Lama going into the final round, carded three-under 69 for the 72-hole total of 13-under 275. The 13th South Asian Games double gold medal winner also became the first amateur golfer to win four major titles, extending his own mark of three. Pro Lama finished first among pros with the total score of nine-under 279 after he carded one-under 71 in the final round. As winner Tamang was not allowed to receive the prize money, Lama received the cheque of Rs 140,000.
Tamang was a runaway leader at one point after he carded three-under 33 on the front nine and shot birdies on the first four holes of the latter half. He faced a bogey on the second but bounced back with birdies on the third, fifth, sixth and eighth holes. Tamang then carded birdies on the 11th, 12th and 14th holes but he suffered a double bogey on the 15th and dropped a shot on the final for even-par 36.
Pro Lama could never catch Tamang after he carded one-under 35 on the front nine and settled for even-par 36 on the latter half. He carded birdies on the third and fourth before dropping a shot on the seventh hole. After taking the turn, Lama faced bogeys on the 10th and 16th against birdies on the 11th and 14th holes.
Niraj Tamang and Jayram Shrestha shared the second place among pros at four-under 284, earning Rs 78,500 each. Tamang carded two-under 70, while Jayram produced the best card of the day carding six-under 66 in the final round.
Former top pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti and Ramesh Adhikari were tied for fourth among pros at two-under 286 and they received Rs 51,000 each. Nagarkoti faltered to threeover 75, while Adhikari carded four-under 68.
Rabi Khadka faltered to seven-over 78 and finished sixth at even-par 288 to take home Rs 40,500. Khadka was tied with amateur Sadbhav, who shot second consecutive fourover 76, to finish second in amateur section.
Acharya - who won amateur section title of Surya Nepal Central Open and claimed Surya Nepal Challenge for his maiden major title - was co-leader after the second round but he could not keep the momentum going and played two straight 76 to slip down to joint sixth. Tashi Tsering was third among amateurs with the total score of threeover 291 after he carded evenpar 72.
Pros Kamal Tamang (75) and Toran Bikram Shahi (72) shared the seventh position at four-over 292 and they earned Rs 35,500 each. Dharan pro Bal Bhadra Rai (74) finished ninth at 296 earning a prize money of Rs 32,000, while Pokhara pro Bhu Bahadur Gurung (79) came 10th at 298 and he got Rs 30,000.
In all, 40 golfers - 31 pros and nine amateurs - participated in the seventh event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2022-23. Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd Brand Manager Bidur Raj Adhikari, PGA Nepal President Rabindra Man Shrestha and senior golfer Gita Gurung gave away prizes to the winners of the Rs 800,000 tournament.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 21, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
