Kathmandu, January 1

Defending champion Subash Tamang opened the Faldo Series Nepal Championship with a round of three-under 69 here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.

The 13th South Asian Games double gold medallist Tamang took seven-shot lead over India’s Abhirajsinh Chauhan in the boys’ 17- 21yrs category. Chauhan shot four-over 76 in the first round. Sudeep Tamang was a distant third at 15-over 87.

Tamang carded two-under 34 on the front nine before playing one-under 35 on the latter half. He took the turn after carding birdies on the third and seventh holes added two more on the 10th and 18th holes. He dropped a shot on the 14th hole.

Chauhan took the turn at even-par 36 before playing four-over 40 on the back nine. He faced a double bogey on the fourth hole against birdies on the third and ninth. He then dropped shots on 11th, 12th and 16th apart from suffering a double bogey on the 14th hole.

He carded a lone bogey of back nine on the 15th hole.

Another SA Games gold medal winner, Ritesh Tamang took lead in the boys’ 12- 16yrs section after he played a round of three-over 75 returning with the second best card of the day. Sadbhav Acharya was second with the score of six-over 78, while Shaswat Pradhan was next at 18-over 90.

Tamang played two-over 38 on the first half, which included bogeys on the first and third holes and a double bogey on the eighth against birdies on the fourth and seventh holes. He then played one-over 37 on the latter half. Tamang carded a birdie on the 12th hole before facing bogeys on the 14th and 16th holes.

Acharya also shot two over 38 on the front nine but he shot four-over 40 on the latter half. Acharya suffered a double-bogey on the first hole and dropped a shot on the sixth before carding a birdie on the seventh. On the back nine, he carded a birdie on the 10th hole but dropped shots on 11th, 13th and 15th apart from facing a double bogey on 14th hole.

In girls’ section, Kashmira Shah shot 13-over 85 to remain at the top, while Prativa Rai and Rabina Shrestha shot 21-over 93 each.

In all, 16 junior golfers are taking part in the 54-hole event organised by Nepal Golf Association under the auspices of National Sports Council, R&A and Gokarna Forest Resort.

The winners of all three categories will earn berths in the 14th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be held at Laguna Lang Co in Danang, Vietnam in March.