Jayaram Shrestha registered a two-stroke victory over Nepal No 1 Bhuwan Nagarkoti to claim Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open, the maiden title of his career, at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Thursday.

Shrestha, who started the final round in joint second position, carded four-under 64 on the final day for the 72-hole total of nine-under 263. Nagarkoti carded two-under 66 to finish the tournament for a total score of seven-under 265. Shrestha won a purse of Rs110,00 and trophy while Nagarkoti earned Rs74,000.

Dinesh Prajapati played even-par 68 and finished third at five-under 267. He got Rs60,000. Kumar Kami, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and overnight leader Rabi Khadka finished joint fourth at three-under 269 and walked away with Rs42,000 each. Kami carded four-under 64, while Rokka played even-par 68 and Khadka faltered to four-over 72.

Sukra Bahadur Rai finished seventh at two-under 270 and bagged Rs32,000, while Dhana Bahadur Prajapati and Sanjay Lama finished at joint eighth position at two-over 274. They won Rs26,500 each. Binod Tamang came 10th at 277 and he got Rs23,000. The 13th South Asian Games twin gold medallist Subash Tamang won the amateur title with the total score of two-under 270 while Nischaya Jung Rayamajhi was a distant second at 21-over 293. Bidur Tamang came third at 295.

Khadka came into the final day with a two-stroke lead and was on course for a big victory after carding birdies in the first three holes. But he succumbed to triple bogey in the fifth and dropped a shot in the seventh providing opportunities for Shrestha, Nagarkoti and Prajapati to remain in contention.

Khadka was still one stroke ahead of Shrestha after the front nine card of one-over 35 but he finished back nine at two-over 37. Shrestha played even-par 34 at the front nine with birdies in the first and sixth hole against bogeys in the sixth and ninth hole. After taking the turn, he saved a shot each in 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th holes to finish four-under 30.

Second-placed Nagarkoti carded two-under 32 on the front nine before playing even-par 34 on the back nine. He carded birdies in the first and fourth holes before taking the turn. On the back nine, he dropped a shot in the 11th and carded a birdie in the 13th hole.

Prajapati played even-par 34 on both halves. He carded a birdie on the fifth and dropped a shot on the next. After taking the turn, he carded birdies in the 10th and 13th holes against bogeys on the 14th and 17th holes.