Sukra Bahadur Rai won the Surya Nepal Central Open title, the third event of Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021-22, at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Friday.

Rai played a card of one-over 73 for the 72-hole total score of 10-under 278 to register a one-shot victory over Rabi Khadka. Khadka carded four-under 68 for the total score of nine-under 279. Bhuwan Nagarkoti finished third scoring even-par 72 on the final day for a total of six-under 282.

Rai walked home with a cash prize of Rs135,000 while Khadka earned Rs88,000. Nagarkoti received Rs65,000.

Rai started the final day with a six-stroke lead over Khadka and Nagarkoti, who was penalised one-stroke for wrongly placing the ball on the third round. Khadka made birdies on the first, third, sixth, seventh holes to bring down the lead to two strokes before making a bogey on the eighth hole which gave Rai a three-stroke lead ahead of the last nine holes.

Khadka sank a birdie on the 11th hole to close the gap to two strokes. But on the 14th hole Rai made bogey and Khadka made double-bogey that extended Rai’s lead to three strokes. Khadka then charged back by making birdies on the 15th and the 17th holes. Rai had only a one-shot lead going into the last hole and safely hit the ball on the lower part of the green on the 18th hole, the ball fell in the front bunker after the second shot. Khadka’s long birdie attempt slid by the hole while Rai saved par on the 72nd hole for his sixth title overall.

Rame Magar finished fourth with the total score of one-over 289 as he carded one-over 73 today to earn Rs53,500. Niraj Tamang ended in fifth position with the total score of four-over 292. He carded one-under 73 to bag Rs45,000. Jayaram Shrestha became sixth after carding one-under for a total score of nine-over 297 to earn Rs. 40,000.

Bal Bhadra Rai (74) and Sanjay Lama (73) finished joint seventh with a total score of 15-over 303 and took home Rs34,500 each. Surya Prasad Sharma came ninth with the total score of 18-over 306 and earned Rs31,000. Dhana Bahadur Thapa was 10th with the score of 19-over 307 and bagged a cash prize of Rs29,000.

Amateur Subash Tamang was overall fourth and won the amateur trophy with the score of four-under 284, carding even-par 72. Sadbhav Acharya was amateur runner-up and seventh overall with the score of five-over 293. He carded three-over 75 on the last day.

A total of 58 golfers –39 pros and 19 amateurs — took part in the event organised by Nepal Professional Golfers Association under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd.