Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open: Niraj takes one-stroke lead over amateur Sadbhav

KATHMANDU: Defending champion Niraj Tamang climbed to the top of the leaderboard after third round of the Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open, second event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2024-25, at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Thursday.

Niraj carded 4-under 64 in the third round for 54-hole score of 10-under 194 and he opened up one-stroke lead over Nepal No 1 amateur Sadbhav Acharya. Sadbhav also carded 4-under 64 and he moved up to second at 9-under 195. Overnight leader Bishnu Prasad Sharma slipped to third at 6-under 198 after he played 1-over 69 in the third round.

Dinesh Prajapati carded 1-under 67 to remain at the fourth position with total score of 5-under 199, while amateur Rahul BK is fifth at 2-under 202 after he carded 67. Veteran pro Deepak Magar (68) is sixth at 1-under 203, while Nepal No 1 pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti carded 67 to move up to seventh at even-par 204. Three pros, Basanta Raj Gurung, Rame Magar and Pradip Kumar Lama are tied for eighth at 2-over 206. Basanta and Rame carded 3-under 65 each, while Pradip played even-par 68.

New leader Niraj took the turn at 3-under 31 and carded 1-under 33 on the back nine. He carded four birdies on the second, fourth, sixth and seventh holes before dropping a shot on the ninth hole. Niraj carded two straight birdies on the 10th and 11th holes but faced a bogey on the next and saved pars on six remaining holes.

Amateur Sadbhav carded 1-under 33 on the front nine and fired 3-under 31 on the back nine on his way to playing a bogey-free round. He carded a lone birdie on the fourth hole and added three more on the 10th, 13th and 17th holes.

Leader of first two rounds, Bishnu carded 1-under 33 on the front nine and he played 2-over 36 on the back nine. He dropped shots on the fifth and eighth against birdies on the first, third and ninth holes. After taking the turn, he carded a birdie on the 10th hole and faced three straight bogeys on the 15th, 16th and 17th holes.