Rabi Khadka takes early lead at Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship

By A Staff ReporterKathmandu, June 17: Rabi Khadka surged to the top of the leaderboard on Monday, securing a one-stroke advantage over defending champion Subash Tamang after the first round of the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship. The tournament, the final event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2024-25, is being played at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club.

Khadka posted a solid 5-under 67 to take the lead, while Tamang, competing in his first event of the season, carded a 4-under 68 to stay close behind. Nepal’s No. 1 professional, Bhuvan Nagarkoti, and Dhana Bahadur Thapa, along with amateurs Nim Dorji Tamang and Rahul Biswakarma, finished tied for third at 3-under 69.

Niraj Tamang and Bishnu Prasad Sharma share seventh place at 2-under 70, while veteran pro Deepak Magar, Ram Krishna Shrestha, and amateur Wangchen Dhondup are tied for ninth at 1-under 71. Four players—Shivaram Poudel, Dinesh Prajapati, and amateurs Tashi Tsering and Sadbhav Acharya—sit in a tie for 12th at even-par 72.

Khadka’s round was highlighted by a scorching front nine, where he carded four consecutive birdies on the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth holes to turn in 4-under 32. On the back nine, he managed 1-under 35, overcoming a bogey on the 13th hole with birdies on the 12th and 17th.

Title holder Tamang struggled early, turning in 1-over 37, but bounced back spectacularly with a 5-under 31 on the back nine. He birdied the sixth but suffered bogeys on the fifth and seventh. However, he rallied with birdies on the 10th, 12th, and 16th holes, and capped his round with an eagle on the par-5 15th.

Nagarkoti, Thapa, and Bhutanese amateur Nim Dorji all went 3-under 33 on the front nine before settling for even-par 36 on the back. Nepal national team member Rahul Biswakarma turned at 1-under 35 and posted a 2-under 34 on the way home.

In the amateur competition, Nim Dorji and Rahul are tied at 3-under 69. Nim Dorji impressed with eagles on the third and seventh holes, along with three birdies. Rahul faced two bogeys but offset them with five birdies. Wangchen, who endured a quadruple bogey nine on the par-5 seventh but rallied with six birdies, sits third at 1-under 71.

The 72-hole tournament features 37 pros and 18 amateurs. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 21 professionals (and ties), along with the leading amateurs.

Boasting the largest prize purse of the season, the event carries a total of Rs 1.6 million. The champion will pocket Rs 300,000, with the runner-up earning Rs 185,000. The third, fourth, and fifth-place finishers will take home Rs 125,000, Rs 105,000, and Rs 92,000, respectively.