Sports
Sizzling Bhuwan grabs share of 3rd round lead
Bhuwan Nagarkoti carded career best eight-under 64 to grab a share of lead with defending champion Shivaram Shrestha on Wednesday going into the final round of the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championships.Bhuwan Nagarkoti carded career best eight-under 64 to grab a share of lead with defending champion Shivaram Shrestha on Wednesday going into the final round of the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championships.
Bhuwan started the day four strokes behind overnight leader Shivaram in a tie for third with Toran Bikram Shahi but pulled himself back in title contention with his sizzling display at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club. Bhuwan joined atop the leaderboard with Shivaram, who carded four-under 68 on Wednesday, with the total score of 11-under 64.
The Gokarna pro’s previous best card was seven-under during the Ghana Shyam’s Professional Golden Jubilee Golf Championship at the Royal Nepal Golf Club in October last year. His previous best at the Gokarna course was five-under 67 during the Surya Nepal Challenge in November.
Toran remained in third place after shooting two-under 70 for a total score of five-under 211 in the 10th and last event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. Krishna Man Rajbahak (68) and Dhana Bahadur Thapa (70) were tied for the fourth at three-under 213. Sanjay Lama (75) was sixth at 214 and Purna Prasad Sharma, who carded a 68, was seventh at even-par 216. Rabi Khadka and Jayaram Shrestha were in a tie for eighth at 217, while Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, Bal Bhadra Rai and Surya Prasad Sharma shared 10th place at 218.
Tanka Bahadur Karki stay atop the amateur category despite shooting three-over 75 in the third round. Tanka carded three-round total of even-par 216 and was one stroke ahead of Sunil KC, who shot one-under 71 on Wednesday. Prithvi Malla carded four-over 76 and was in third at 221.
In his bogeyfree third round, Bhuwan carded five-under 31 on the front nine and three-under 33 on the back nine. His sank five birdies on the front nine before earning three more shots going inwards. Shivaram shot two-under 34 on either side of the turn. The top-ranked pro’s front nine card included two birdies before having a roller back nine. Shivaram sank birdies on the 11th, 13th, 14th and 17th hole against a double bogey on the 12th on the back nine.
Toran carded one-over 37 on the front nine but recovered on his way back with three-under 33. Toran opened the round with a birdie but dropped shots on the sixth and eighth holes. On the back nine, he sank birdies on the 11th, 12th and 15th holes.
In all 33 golfers—24 pros and nine amateurs—had made the cut for the final two rounds of the tournament that offers Rs 1.26 million in total prize money.