Subash Tamang produced the best card of one-under 71 on the first day of the CMS Faldo Series Nepal Championship at the Gokarna Golf Club on Monday.

Held in three categories, Tamang leads the Under-16 age group categories. Tamang’s even-par 36 on the front nine included a bogey on the second and a birdie on the sixth hole. The 16-year-old’s one-under 35 card included a bogey on the 12th and birdies on the par-5 15th and par-3 16th hole. 

Binod Tamang was a distant second in the U-16 category with the score of four-over 76, while Sam Doublard and Ritesh Tamang were tied third at 7-over 79.

Sukra Bahadur Rai, who pulled off a stunning victory to clinch Surya Nepal Eastern Open pro title as an amateur last month, leads the U-21 category with two-over 74. Rai carded three-over 79 on the front nine but recovered on his back nine holes with one-under 35. 

Rai is six strokes ahead of Bipin Tamang. Suman Nepal is a stroke further behind at nine-over 80. Prativa Rai leads the girls’ category with 13-over 85 followed by Kashmira Shah at 17-over 89 and Juny Gurung at 23-over 95. In all, 26 juniors golfers aged 12 to 21-year-old are taking part in the tournament. 

The winner of each of the three age-group categories will earn tickets to the 13th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at Laguna Lang Co in Danang, Vietnam, in March, 2019.