KATHMANDU : Sukra Bahadur Rai takes lead after the first round of the Surya Nepal Central Open, the third event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021-22, at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Tuesday. 

Sukra carded five-under 67 to stay at the top of the leaderboard. He is two-strokes ahead of Rame Magar who scored three-under 69. Bhuwan Nagarkoti and 13th South Asian games double Gold medalist amateur Subash Tamang are tied for third at two-under 70. Rabi Khadka scored one-under 71 to be in the fifth place after the first day.  whereas Niraj Tamang brought in a card of even-par 72 for the sixth position.  

Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan is at two-over 74 to be at the seventh position. Surya Prasad Sharma and Ram Krishna Shrestha are tied for eighth place after carding three-over 75. Amateur Sadbhav Acharya and Dinesh Prajapati are tied for 10th place at four-over 76. 

Leader Sukra carded an eagle on the third hole and then birdied the fourth, sixth and seventh holes for a front nine total of five-under 31. On the back nine, he carded a birdie on the 10th hole but dropped shot on the 15th hole for an even-par 36. 

Bhuwan carded one-under 35 on each side. On the front nine, he made birdies on third, sixth and seventh holes against bogeys on fourth and eighth holes. On the back nine, he made birdies on 12th, 15th and 17th holes against bogeys on 14th and 16th holes.  

Amateur Subash carded birdies on second, third and seventh holes against a bogey on the eighth for a two-under 34 on the front nine. On the back nine he scored a HOLE IN ONE on the 16th hole, birdies on the 12th & 17th holes but bogey on 11th and triple-bogey on the 14th only got him even-par 36. 

Rabi carded two-under 34 on the front nine with the help of birdies on fist, third, fifth and seventh holes against drop shots on fourth and eighth holes. On the back nine, he scored birdies on 13th and 18th holes against consecutive bogeys on 14th, 15th and 16th holes for one-over 37. 

Dhana Bahadur Thapa, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, amateurs Shaswat Pradhan and Mithun Rai are at five over-77 tied for 12th position. 

A total of 39 professional golfers and 19 amateurs are taking part in the tournament. The event carries a cash purse of Rs 775,000. Winner of the event will be richer by Rs 135,000, the runner-up will earn Rs 88,000 and the third-place winner will get Rs 65,000. Others in the 21 places will also earn prize money. The cut will be applied after the second round, top 21 professionals and ties along with six amateurs and those who make the professional cut will play the final 36 holes.