Bhuwan Nagarkoti wins Surya Nepal Central Open

2021, March 19 – The Nepal number 1 pro registers a one-stroke victory over amateur Subash Tamang to clinch the season opening event under golf tour.

Bhuwan Nagarkoti carded two-over 74 to finish 72-hole total at seven-under 281 at the Gokarna Golf Club in Kathmandu on Thursday. Hemanta Shrestha/TKP

Bhuwan Nagarkoti registered a one-stroke victory over amateur Subash Tamang to claim the Surya Nepal Central Open golf championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Number 1 pro Nagarkoti, who went on top of the leaderboard after the very first round and opened the final round with two stroke advantage, carded two-over 74 to finish 72-hole total at seven-under 281.

Amateur Tamang, the twin gold medalist of the 13th South Asian Games (SAG), played the final round one-under 71 for the total score of six-under 282. Sukra Bahadur Rai, who started the final round at second position and just two-stroke behind Nagarkoti, played his worst round of the championship with five-over 77 for a total of two-under 286. Sanjay Lama carded two-over 74 to finish the campaign third with the score two-over 290.

Nagarkoti bagged a purse of Rs130,000 and the winner’s trophy. Overall second place finisher Tamang was not eligible to collect cash prize due to his amateur status. He was awarded with amateur’s trophy. Rai collected the runner up prize amount of Rs84,000 while third place finisher Lama bagged Rs60,000.

Amateurs Ajit BK and Vijay Shrestha Einhaus finished fifth and sixth. BK played even-par 72 for a total of three-over 291 and Shrestha Einhaus carded three-over on the final day to wrap up the campaign with four-over 292.

Rabi Khadka finished fourth with a card of three-over 75 for the final-day total of six-over 294. Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan (76) and Deepak Magar (69) finished jointly in fifth position at seven-over 295. The duo received Rs39,750 each.

Rame Magar (78), Niraj Tamang (74) and Bal Bhadra Rai (76) came seventh to ninth respectively with total scores of 296, 297 and 298. The trio shared Rs35,000, Rs32,000 and Rs30,000. The tenth position went to Jayaram Shrestha who played one-over 73 for a final round total of 299. He pocketed Rs28,000.

Winner Nagarkoti carded two-over 38 on front nine. He bogeyed on the second and sixth holes and double bogeyed on the eighth. He played birdies on the fourth and ninth holes. After taking the turn he played even-par 36 with a birdie on the 12th hole against bogey on the 15th.

Amateur Tamang dropped a shot on the third hole and birdied on the seventh for an even-par score of 36 on the first half. He started the back nine dropping two shots before amending his mistakes with birdies on the 12th, 15th and 18th holes.

Rai started the day with a birdie but bogeyed on the second and the fourth holes for a front nine score of one-over 37. After taking the turn, he dropped a shot each on 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes for a total of four-over 40. Third placed Lama carded even-par 36 on the front nine with birdies on the third and fourth holes against bogies on the sixth and ninth holes. At the back nine, he dropped shots on the 11th and 14th holes to finish with two-over 38.

Altogether 61 golfers including 44 pros and 17 amateurs took part in the event organised by Nepal Professional Golfers Association (NPGA) under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd. Surya Nepal vice-president (marketing) Dipra Lahiri, NPGA president Rabindra Man Shrestha and Nepal Golf Association president Tashi Ghale distributed prizes to the winners.