Sports
Nagarkoti takes two-shot lead
Bhuwan Nagarkoti took a two-stroke lead over Shivaram Shrestha and Jayaram Shrestha after the first round of the Ghana Shyam’s Professional Golden Jubilee Golf Championship on Monday.Bhuwan Nagarkoti took a two-stroke lead over Shivaram Shrestha and Jayaram Shrestha after the first round of the Ghana Shyam’s Professional Golden Jubilee Golf Championship on Monday.
Nagarkoti shot a seven-under 61 in the first and the specially sanctioned event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. The Nepal No 1 and RNGC pro Shivaram and his brother Jayaram carded identical five-under 63. Sanjay Lama was next at two-under 66 and Rame Magar fifth at even-par 68. Surya Prasad Sharma lie at sixth at one-over 69. Deepak Thapa Magar, Dinesh Prajapati and Basanta Raj Gurung were tied at seventh at two-over 70.
Tied for the 10th were Krishna Man Rajbahak, Ram Krishna Shrestha, Pradeep Kumar Lama and amateur Bipin Tamang at three-over 71. Amateur Mithun Rai was three strokes adrift for leader Tamang at six-over 74. Prithvi Malla, Subash N Ghising and Phuntsok Lama are at nine-over 77. Only female amateur participant Pratima Sherpa carded 10-over 77.
The Gokarna Golf Club pro Nagarkoti started off with a birdie on the first hole but dropped a shot immediately in the next. Nagarkoti made amends with further birdies on the third, fifth and eighth holes for three-under 31 on the front nine. On the back nine, he carded a flawless four-under 30 with birdies on the 10th, 13th, 14th and 18th holes.
Shivaram also opened the first round with a birdie on the first before earning more shots on the third and fourth holes for a three-under 31 on the first nine. On the back nine, the top-ranked pro sank birdies on 10th, 12th, 16th and 17th holes against bogies on the 13th and 15th holes for a two-under 32.
Jayaram had a bogey free day with birdies on first, second, fourth, 10th and 13th holes. Lama opened his round with a bogey on the first hole then birdied the fourth but again dropped a shot on the very next hole. Lama recovered with a birdie on the eighth hole for an even-par 34. On the back nine, Lama carded birdies on 13th, 14th and 18th holes against a bogey on 15th hole for two-under 32.
Rame Magar shot two-over 36 on front nine with bogeys on first, second and third holes against a birdie on the sixth. On back nine, he carded two-under 34 with birdies on 10th, 13th and 16th against a bogey on the last hole. In all, 39 golfers—32 pros and seven amateurs—are taking part in the four-day tournament sponsored by founder president of Nepal Professional Golfers Association Ghana Shyam Thapa to mark the 50th year of his professional golf.
The cut will be applied after the completion of second round with top 21 pros and six amateurs making it to the final two rounds. Of the total Rs 500,000 prize money, the top three pros will receive Rs 85,000, Rs 58,000 and Rs 45,000 respectively.