Subash wins IGU 122nd Amateur Golf Championship of India
KATHMANDU, December 18: Top Nepali amateur golfer Subash Tamang won the title of the IGU 122nd Amateur Golf Championship of India at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata on Sunday.
Fourth-seeded Subash defeated third-seeded India’s Rohit 9&7 in the 36-hole final. Rohit was 1-up after the completion of the first nine holes. The 13th South Asian Games double gold medallist, Subash won the 10th hole to level the scores and he took the lead on the 13th hole. Subash won the 15tg, 16th and 18th holes to open 3-up lead after 18 holes.
After a brief break, the players returned for the remaining 18 holes but Subash completed the comprehensive victory with seven holes to spare. Rohit cut the deficit with a win on the 20th hole but Subash won two consecutive 21st and 22nd holes to go 4-up.
Subash dominated the show and four straight holes from 24th to 27th to extend the lead to 8-up. After halving the 28th hole, Subash won the 29th hole to complete the victory. Subash became the first Nepali golfer to win the title of the India’s oldest golf tournament.
Subash had qualified for the match play after playing 73 and 70 in the 36-hole stroke play competition.
In the match play, Subash beat Kanav Chauhan (19 holes) in the first round, defeated Vishesh Sharma (4&3) in the pre-quarters and outplayed Dhruv Suri (4&3) in the quarter-finals. He then defeated South Africa’s Altin Van Der Merwe 2&1 in the semi-finals.
This is the first time a Nepali amateur golfer won the title of the prestigious tournament in India. The Nepal Golf Association is grateful to all the stakeholders including, National Sports Council, Nepal Olympic Committee and Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy for their support to Subash and NGA.
Subash, who has received Olympic Scholarship for the Paris Olympic Games from the NOC, has been undergoing training at the Bangalore-based Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy for last two years. The NGA is sending another amateur golfer, Rahul Bishwokarma to Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy on December 21 for training.
