NGA honours golfer duo Sadbhav and Rahul

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 11: Nepal’s No. 1 amateur golfer, Sadbhav Acharya, has been felicitated for his historic victory at the 38th Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship, where he became the first Nepali player to win the title.  Recognizing his remarkable achievement, the Nepal Golf Association honoured Sadbhav with a cash prize of NPR 50,000. 

The felicitation ceremony was led by Tanka Lal Ghising, Member Secretary of the National Sports Council.

Sadbhav teamed with Rahul Bishwakarma to clinch a second gold for Nepal by winning the team event title. 

The association awarded NPR 25,000 each to Sadbhav and Rahul, bringing Sadbhav’s total cash reward to NPR 75,000.

Nepal had previously won gold in the team event in 2018 (Shukra Bahadur Rai & Tanka Bahadur Karki) and 2022 (Subash Tamang & Sadbhav Acharya), but this marks the first time a Nepali has won the individual title since Nepal’s participation began in 1988.

The championship, held over four days in Bangladesh, featured 100 players from eight countries — Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan, South Korea, Japan, and Australia. Tara Karki Chitrakar and Samjana Khatri represented Nepal in the women's category, while Gopal Chitrakar and Arshiya Banu served as team managers.  NSC Member Secretary Ghising also felicitated the women golfers and team managers on the occasion.

Faldo Junior tees off today

The Faldo Junior Tour Nepal Championship is set to begin on Tuesday at the Royal Nepal Golf Club. 

The Nepal Golf Association (NGA) has been organising the junior golf tournament annually since 2012. The tourney will feature 31 young golfers from four provinces competing for a chance to qualify for the Faldo Junior Tour Asia Grand Final in Vietnam. 

According to the NGA, the three-day, 54-hole competition will see junior golfers competing in three age categories: Boys 17-21 years, Boys 12-16 years, and Girls (12-21 years). 

The winner of each category will secure a spot in the Faldo Junior Tour Asia Grand Final, scheduled to take place in La Laguna, Vietnam, from April 23 to 25.  Despite securing his place in Asia Grand Final, Sadbhav Acharya will be competing in the Nepal Championship. He earned automatic qualification after winning the U-21 title at the Faldo Junior Tour European Grand Final in November, last year. 

This year, a total of four Nepali golfers, including Sadbhav, will compete in the Asia Grand Final, marking another milestone for Nepal’s rising presence in junior golf. 

The Faldo Junior Tour is a global junior golf initiative led by six-time Major champion Sir Nick Faldo, aimed at nurturing young golf talent worldwide. With strong participation and increasing success on the international stage, Nepal’s junior golfers continue to make their mark in the global arena.