With domestic golf’s juggernaut Shiva Ram Shrestha not in the scene, defending champion Bhuwan Nagarkoti and Sanjay Lama will be itching to get into the top spot by winning the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship beginning from Tuesday.

Nepal No 1 pro Shrestha is currently in the United States of America where he is undergoing training. His absence now has opened up a chance for Nagarkoti and Lama to capture the top spot in the Order of Merit for the first time. Since the 2010-11 season, no other golfer has managed to topple Shrestha from the top.

To get into a spot which has eluded the duo for eight years, Nagarkoti and Lama will give their all at the Gleneagles-designed par-72 Gokarna Golf Club for the Surya Nepal Premier, the season-ending event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2018-19.

Nagarkoti had won three titles last season including the Surya Nepal Premier but he is yet to taste victory in the current season. He finished first among the pros after losing the title to Subash Tamang in the Surya Nepal Challenge. He was also joint second in the NPGA Tour Championship and runner-up in the NPGA Match Play.

Nagarkoti knows where it has all gone wrong for him. “I am struggling with iron shots and have not been able to focus in my game. As I have changed the club and the event is being held in the home course, I am hopeful of defending the title,” Nagarkoti said.

Lama is known for consistent performance and is always among the favourites. He has consistently finished inside the top five and was able to win the Western Open.  Like Nagarkoti, Lama also finished behind amateur Tanka Bahadur Karki in the NPGA Tour Championship. “In the absence of Shiva Ram, this is an opportunity for us to claim the No 1 position,” said Lama.

Not only the pros, the amateur golfers are also expected to give tough fight including the likes of past winners in Sukra Bahadur Rai, Subash Tamang and Tanka Bahadur Karki. Out of the eight previous titles, Shrestha has amassed eight with Lama and Dhana Thapa winning once.

Nepali golf’s future prospect Rai is another golfer who can steal the limelight. Rai has already bagged four titles in three events. Along with the Eastern Open in his home course, Rai bagged amateur title in the Western Open. He teamed up with Tanka to win the team event gold medal in the Bangladesh Open and led the Province 1 team to gold in the recently concluded eighth National Games.

After winning the U-21 title of the CMS Faldo Series Nepal Championship, Rai represented the country in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in Vietnam. Rai believes the success in national and international events has boosted his morale. “I have been faring well in the recent events and I am confident of winning the Surya Nepal Premier as I have improved in chipping and putting,” Rai said.

Surya Nepal Premier is the biggest event of the season carrying a cash purse of Rs 1.26 million. The winner will be richer by Rs 230,000 and the runner-up will walk away with Rs 140,000. The third-place finishing pro will earn Rs 95,000. The prize money won in the final event will determine the positions of pros in the Order of Merit.