Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship: Amateur Sadbhav registers seven-stroke victory over pro Bhuvan

KATHMANDU: Nepal No 1 amateur golfer Sadbhav Acharya recorded a seven-stroke victory over pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti to win the title of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship, the sixth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2023-24, at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Thursday.

Overnight leader Sadbhav carded a bogey-free 3-under 69 for the 72-hole total of 14-under 274 to claim the third major career title.

He became the youngest winner in the Tour by winning Surya Nepal Challenge last year and Sadbhav bagged second title in the current season. He won the season-opener Surya Nepal Central Open and became the first player to win two titles in the 2023-24 season.

Pro Bhuvan finished overall second with the score of 7-under 281 after he faltered to 3-over 75 in the final round.

He was one stroke behind Sadbhav going into the final round and he finished first among pros winning the top prize money of Rs 140,000.

Amateur Vijay Shrestha Einhaus finished as runner-up in amateur section and he was tied for overall third with pro Niraj Tamang at 4-under 284.

Vijay carded 1-under 71 in the final round on his way to winning maiden runner-up trophy in the Tour, while Niraj carded 2-under 70. Niraj received runner-up prize money of Rs 96,000. Dinesh Prajapati finished third among pros with the total score of even-par 288 and he earned Rs 74,000. Dinesh played 3-over 75 in the final round.

Tashi Tsering fired second straight 1-under 71 to finish third among amateurs at 1-over 289 and he was sixth overall, while national team member Rahul Bishwakarma was seventh at 291 after he played 2-over 74 in the final round.

Sanjay Lama and Dhana Bahaur Thapa shared fourth position among pros at 4-over 292 and they earned Rs 54,500 each.

Former top pro Rabi Khadka (74) was sixth at 5-over 293 and he earned Rs 42,500. Rame Magar and Bhuwan Kumar Rokka shared the seventh position at 7-over 295. They received Rs 37,250 each. Yuvaraj Bhujel and Bal Bhadra Rai were tied for ninth at 299 and they got Rs 32,000 each.

Amateur Sadbhav was one stroke ahead of pro Bhuvan and he extended the lead to six strokes after front nine. Sadbhav carded a birdie on the sixth hole on his way to carding 1-under 35 on the front nine, while Bhuvan faltered to four-over 40.

Bhuvan levelled the scores with Sadbhav with a birdie on the third hole but he suffered a double bogey on the seventh and dropped shots on the sixth, eighth and ninth holes.

After taking the turn, Sadbhav carded 2-under 34 with the help of birdies on the 12th and 17th holes. Bhuvan bounced back on the back nine carding 1-under 35. He carded birdies on the 13th, 14th and 18th holes and faced bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes.

Amateur Vijay made an impressive run in the tournament carding 2-under 70 in the first round and 1-over 73 in the third round.

He took the turn at even-par 36 and carded 1-under 35 on the back nine.

He dropped shots on the first and fifth holes against birdies on the third and seventh hole. On the back nine, Vijay carded a birdie on the 11th and saved pars on eight other holes.

Pro Niraj carded 2-under 34 on the front nine and played even-par 36 on the back nine. He carded birdies on the first, third and ninth holes and dropped a shot on the fourth hole. On the back nine, he carded birdies on the 14th and 15th holes before facing bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes.

A total of 44 players – 32 pros and 12 amateurs – took part in the tournament organised by PGA Nepal under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd.

The tournament carried a cash purse of Rs 840,000. Out of the 23 pros who made the cut, top 21 pros received cash prizes. Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd Vice-president (Marketing) Dipra Lahiri and Nepal Golf Association President Tashi Ghale handed over prizes to the winners.