Tamang bags Surya Nepal Challenge

Vice-president, Sales and Marketing at Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd Dipra Lahiri handing over the trophy to Subash Tamang after the Surya Nepal Challenge at the RNGC on Friday, March 8, 2019. Photo: THT

Kathmandu, March 8

Subash Tamang became the youngest winner and fourth amateur golfer to claim major title when he registered one-shot victory over No 2 pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti on the final day of the Surya Nepal Challenge here today.

The 16-year-old Tamang carded bogey-free three-under 65 to post the total score of five-under 267 and claimed the maiden major trophy. Tamang, who won the overall title of the CMS Faldo Series Nepal Championship at the Gokarna Golf Club in January, defeated defending champion Nagarkoti by one stroke. Nagarkoti carded one-under 67 for the score of 268.

Tamang, who began the final day three strokes off the lead, carded one-under 33 on the front nine to catch Nagarkoti, who played even-par 34, after overnight leader Rame Magar faltered to three-over 37. Tamang then took lead after Nagarkoti faced a bogey on the 10th but the pro levelled the scores with a birdie on the next.

The duo went neck-to-neck until Tamang produced the moment of brilliance on the 16th and took lead with a birdie. Both the played carded birdies on the 17th and saved pars on the final hole as Tamang celebrated the victory on the 18th green amidst loud cheer from the gallery. Tamang finished the back nine at two-under 32, while Nagarkoti carded one-under 33.

“I cannot express my happiness in words as I am more than happy today,” said Tamang, who has recently joined Tribhuvan Army Officers Golf Club on a contract basis. “The approach shot on the 16th was the turning point and I hung on to the lead,” added Tamang. Tamang, who underwent The Golfing Lab camp in Singapore in December last year, said he had prepared well for the tournament. “I spent a lot of time on the course hitting the ball and I had targeted to win the amateur section trophy,” added Tamang.

Tamang became the fourth amateur golfer to win major title. Shivaram Shrestha had bagged the Surya Nepal Western Open in 2005 and Rupak Acharya had won Surya Nepal Central Open in 2010. Sukra Bahadur Rai won the Surya Nepal Eastern Open – the third event of the current season — in December last year.

In amateur section, Tamang registered a 17-stroke victory over Tanka Bahadur Karki to win the trophy. Karki played three-over 71 for the total score of 12-over 284, while Rahul BK was third at 287. As Tamang is not eligible to get the prize money, Nagarkoti received the winner’s purse of Rs 84,000.

Dinesh Prajapati finished second among pros at one-under 271 and he earned Rs 53,000, while Rame Magar came third at even-par 272 to earn Rs 37,500. Bikash Adhikari finished fourth at 273 and he got Rs 28,000, while Bhuwan Kumar Rokka earned Rs 24,000 after he finished fifth at 274. Krishna Man Rajbahak, Rabi Khadka, Ram Krishna Shrestha, Sanjay Lama, Jayaram Shrestha, Surya Prasad Sharma and Dhana Bahadur Thapa finished in top 10.

In all, 42 players — 33 pros and nine amateurs — participated in the sixth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2018-19 that carried a purse of Rs 441,000. Vice-president, Sales and Marketing at Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd Dipra Lahiri and Nepal PGA Advisor Ghana Shyam Thapa gave away prizes to the winners.

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