Sports
Lama in four-way tie for lead as holder Shrestha falters
Bal Bhadra Rai, Dinesh Prajapati , Sanjay Lama and Bhuwan Nagarkoti and were tied for the lead in the first round of Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Monday.Bal Bhadra Rai, Dinesh Prajapati , Sanjay Lama and Bhuwan Nagarkoti and were tied for the lead in the first round of Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Monday.
The four pros carded four-under 68 on the first day of the 10th and final event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. Rame Magar was two shots adrift of the congested leaderboard at fifth. Bikash Adhikari, Krishna Man Rajbahak and Deepak Acharya shared the sixth place at one-under 71. Seven other pros including defending champion Shivaram Shrestha, Dhana Bahadur Thapa, Pashupati Sharma, Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, Toran Bikram Shahi and Purna Prasad Sharma were in ninth at even-par 72.
Rai shot three-under 33 on the front nine and one-under 35 on the back nine while Prajapati carded five-under 31 on the front nine and one-over 37 on the back nine. Lama and Nagarkoti shot identical four-under 32 on the front nine and even-par 36 on the back nine.
Rai sank birdies on the third, fourth, sixth and seventh holes against a bogey on the eighth hole. On the back nine, the Dharan pro dropped shots on the 14th and 15th holes against birdies on the 10th, 16th and 17th holes. Prajapati Dinesh earned shots on the third, fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth holes in bogeyfree front nine while he parred all the holes on he back nine except for a bogey on the 15th.
Lama carded birdies on the third, fifth, sixth and ninth holes on the front nine. He saved pars on all nine holes on his way back. Nagarkoti sank birdies on the second, third, fifth, seventh and ninth holes and faced a bogey on the eighth in his front nine card. Nagarkoti then had a birdie on the 11th against a bogey on the 14th hole in his back nine score.
Tanka Bahadur Karki and Prithvi Malla were tied for the lead in the amateur category with the score of even-par 72. Subash Tamang was in third at one-over 73 while Ajit BK, Sunil KC and Yubraj Bhujel were in a group of three to share the fourth position at two-over 74.
In all, 56 golfers are taking part in the final event of the tour event. Cut will be applied after the second round with top 24 pros and six amateurs making it to the last two rounds. The tournament offers Rs 1.26 million in total prize money.
The champion will receive Rs 230,000, while runner up will get 140,000 and third-place pro will get Rs 95,000. Others pros to make the cut are also assured of getting their share of cash rewards.