Kathmandu: Professional golfers Rame Magar and Rabi Khadka shared the lead after the opening round of the Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open, the fourth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2025-26, being held at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club.

Both golfers carded an impressive 3-under 65 on Day 1, taking a one-stroke lead over Jayram Shrestha, who finished the round at 2-under 66. Sanjay Lama secured fourth position with 1-under 67, while Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, Nepal No. 1 Niraj Tamang, and Dinesh Prajapati were tied for fifth place at even-par 68.

Former top professional Bhuvan Nagarkoti was tied for eighth position alongside amateur golfers Rahul Bishwakarma and Mahendra Phagani, all finishing at 1-over 69.

Strong Comeback Performance by Co-Leader Rame Magar

Rame Magar recorded 1-over 35 on the front nine before delivering a remarkable comeback with a bogey-free 4-under 30 on the back nine. He dropped a shot on the second hole but maintained steady play before carding birdies on the 10th, 11th, 13th, and 18th holes.

Consistent Bogey-Free Round by Rabi Khadka

Rabi Khadka delivered a highly consistent performance, completing the round without a bogey. He turned at 2-under 32 after securing birdies on the first and ninth holes, followed by another birdie on the 10th hole while maintaining pars on the remaining holes.

Jayram Shrestha Holds Third Position

Jayram Shrestha recorded an even-par 34 on the front nine with birdies on the fourth, eighth, and ninth holes, alongside bogeys on the third, fifth, and sixth holes. He improved on the back nine with 2-under 32, including birdies on the 12th, 13th, and 15th holes, despite dropping a shot on the 10th hole.

Amateur Category Update

In the amateur section, Rahul Bishwakarma and Mahendra Phagani shared the lead at 1-over 69. Rahul registered 1-over 35 on the front nine before finishing with even-par 34 on the back nine. Mahendra delivered an impressive 4-under 30 on the front nine but slipped to 5-over 39 on the back nine.

Amateurs Saroj Thapa and Phuntsok Norbu Lama were tied for third position at 2-over 70.

Tournament Overview

A total of 55 players, including 34 professionals and 21 amateurs, are participating in the tournament, which will be played over 72 holes. A cut will be applied after 36 holes, with the top 18 professionals advancing to the final rounds.

The tournament carries a total prize purse of NPR 875,000. The winner will receive NPR 150,000, while the runner-up and third-place finishers will earn NPR 105,000 and NPR 85,000, respectively. Fourth and fifth positions will be awarded NPR 71,000 and NPR 63,000, with the remaining top 18 finishers also sharing the prize money.

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