Amateur Rahul defends Surya Nepal Central Open title

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 2: Amateur golfer Rahul Bishwakarma successfully defended his Surya Nepal Central Open crown, the opening event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2025–26, at the par-72 Gokarna Forest Golf Resort on Thursday.

Bishwakarma carded a four-under 68 to finish with a 72-hole total of 14-under 274, securing his third career title. 

He finished 14 strokes clear of professional Jayram Shrestha, having also won the Central Open and the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship last season.

Shrestha endured a difficult final round, returning a five-over 77, but still topped the professional category with an even-par 288 to claim the winner’s purse of Rs 170,000. 

Toran Bikram Shahi and Bhuvan Nagarkoti shared third place on two-over 290. Shahi shot level-par 72, while Nagarkoti returned his best card of the tournament with a four-under 68. Both earned Rs 112,500.

Nepal’s No. 1 professional, Niraj Tamang, finished sixth overall and fifth among pros with a three-over 291 after a three-under 69 in the final round, collecting Rs 82,000. 

Three professionals — Bhuwan Kumar Rokka (76), Sukra Bahadur Rai (74) and Dinesh Prajapati (74) — along with amateur Reuben Thapa, tied for sixth on 292. The pros received Rs 64,333 each. Thapa finished runner-up in the amateur section after a two-under 70 in the final round. 

Fellow amateur Sam Doublard carded a one-under 73 for an eight-over 296, placing third among amateurs and 10th overall. 

Tashi Ghale, who struck a hole-in-one at the fifth on day one, received Rs 5,000 for the feat.

Bishwakarma began the final day five strokes ahead of Shrestha and extended his lead to eight after the front nine, carding three-under 33 with birdies at the second, third, eighth and ninth holes against a lone bogey at the fifth. He added one-under 35 on the back nine, with birdies at the 12th and 15th before dropping a shot at the 17th.

Shrestha turned at level-par 36 after birdies at the first and second, but faltered with bogeys at the third and seventh. His back nine unravelled with five bogeys between the 10th and 16th, leaving him five-over 41.

Shahi played level-par 36 on both halves, with birdies at the 10th, 12th and 14th offset by a double bogey at the 15th and a dropped shot at the 18th. 

Nagarkoti, meanwhile, produced six birdies — including three in succession from the 16th — against bogeys at the eighth and 14th, returning two-under 34 on both nines.

In total, 37 professionals and 25 amateurs competed. Prizes were presented by Keshav Pradhan, Deputy General Manager of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd, and Tashi Ghale, President of the Nepal Golf Association.

The second event of the season, the Surya Nepal Eastern Open, will be staged at Dharan Golf Club, Sunsari, from 14–17 January.