Kathmandu: Sri Lankan professional Anura Rohana warmed up for the main event of the Surya Nepal Masters 2012 when he led his team of LB Singh, Zom Ranga and Biresh Paul to a fantastic win at the Standard Chartered Pro-Am of the Surya Nepal Masters 2011 at the Gokarna Forest Resort here today. The winning team scored 15-underpar 57 and won on a countback of the last nine holes. Rohana won the Surya Nepal Masters the last time he played. The team finishing second was led by none other than Nepal’s home grown Tiger Shiva Ram Shreshta along with amateurs Charlie Gurung, Madhukar Yaktumba and Rekha Ghimire. In a keenly contested event, the team of defending champion Rashid Khan and amateurs SP Rajendra Shreshta, Tendi Sherpa and Aditi Ghimire finished third at 57 points. In the skills prizes that were held aloingside the main event, Tashi Tsering won the Longest Drive award on Hole No. 3 while Rekha Ghimire win the Closest to Pin on Hole No. 10. Aditi Ghimire walked away with the honours in the Straightest Drive contest held in Hole No. 6.
Despite the cold weather, the players were seen playing some hot golf on a Team Scramble Format. As many as 112 golfers teed it up for honours.
In the prize presentation held soon after the round, Joseph Silvanus– CEO Standard Chartered Bank, LB Singh – Vice President Marketing, Surya Nepal Private Limited and Rabindra Man Shreshta, the president of the Nepal Golf Association gave away the prizes.
Meanwhile, some the best talent from the SAARC region will be on display when a field of 125 players including 10 amateurs will tee off in hunt for the Surya Nepal Masters 2012 title which begins on the morrow. The Nepalese Rs Four million event which is co-sanctioned by the Nepal Professional Golfers Association and the Professional Golfers Association of India comprises of 30 Nepalese professionals and 85 from the PGTI whose members have travelled from India, Sri Lanka, Bangaldesh, Dubai and South Africa.
The exclusive field consists of a mixture of young and experienced players. Amongst the visiting professionals, the players to watch out for include defending champion Rashid Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Mandeo Singh Pathania, Gurbaaz Mann, former Indian Open winner Vijay Kumar, (all Indians) and Anura and Mithun Perera (Sri Lanka) amongst others.
The local challenge is led by Nepal No.1 Shiva Ram Shreshta who is known for his attacking game, Rabi Khadka, Sanjay Lama and Deepak Thapa Magar who is looking to regain the Surya Nepal Masters title which he won in 2007.
By Indian Sports News
