Bhuvan Nagarkoti Leads After First Day of Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship

Kathmandu, 16 June — In the opening round of the final event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2025-26 season, the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship, Bhuvan Nagarkoti secured the top position with an outstanding score of 9-under 63. At the close of the first round, Bhuvan held a four-stroke lead over three amateur golfers: Sadbhaw Acharya, Tenzing Chiring, and Norbu Chiring Sherpa. Sadbhaw, Tenzing, and Norbu, all scoring 5-under 67, are tied for second place. Shukra Bahadur Rai and Toran Bikram Shahi, each with 4-under 68, share fifth place. Amateur Wangchen Dhondup along with professional players Niraj Tamang, Bhuvan Kumar Rokka, Subash Tamang, and Dinesh Prajapati are tied for seventh after posting 3-under 69. Defending champion, amateur Rahul Bishwakarma, is positioned 12th with 2-under 70, and Dhan Bahadur Thapa stands 13th at 1-under 71.

Bhuvan delivered an impeccable performance, recording a bogey-free card. He birdied the 1st, 3rd, and 7th holes to finish the front nine at 3-under 33. On the back nine, he added birdies on holes 11, 13, 14, and 15 and capped off the round with an eagle on the par-4 18th hole, completing the back nine at 6-under 30.

Sadbhaw started the day with a bogey but rescued pars on the 3rd, 7th, and 9th holes to finish the front nine at 2-under 34. Although he bogeyed the 11th, he responded with an eagle on the 12th hole and birdies on the 15th and 18th to close the back nine at 3-under 33.

Tenzing faced challenges with a bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on the 8th but balanced his round with birdies on the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, and 18th holes. He recorded two eagles on the 9th and 11th holes despite another double bogey on the 10th, finishing the front nine at 2-under 34 and the back nine at 3-under 33.

Noirbu delivered a bogey-free front nine with birdies on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th holes, scoring 3-under 33. His back nine included a bogey on the 10th but was offset by birdies on the 11th, 15th, and 16th, finishing 2-under 34 on the back nine.

This season’s championship carries the highest total cash prize of NPR 1.8 million, featuring 46 professional and 22 amateur golfers, totaling 68 participants. A cut will be implemented at the end of the second day, with the top 18 professionals and amateurs who make the cut advancing to the final two rounds. The champion will earn NPR 320,000 in prize money. The second, third, and fourth place finishers will receive NPR 206,000, NPR 162,000, and NPR 145,000 respectively. A Pro-Am event is scheduled for Saturday.