Nepal No 1 pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti clinched the Surya Nepal Challenge to lift his second trophy of the season at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Friday.

Nagarkoti played a card of two-under 66 in the final round to finish with 13-under 259 and register a four-stroke victory over Jayaram Shrestha. Nagarkoti, who secured his 10th career title, received a cheque of Rs100,000 and the trophy.

Shrestha played a card of six-under 62 to finish runner-up despite starting the day in the eighth position. He wrapped up the campaign at nine-under 263 and walked away with R65,000. Sanjay Lama played a card of two-over 70 and finished with a total score of six-under 266. He earned Rs46,000.

The 13th South Asian Games (SAG) gold medallist Subash Tamang was overall fourth along with pros Dinesh Prajapati and Rame Magar with a total score of five-under 267. Tamang, who played one-over 69 on the final day, however, was not eligible for the fourth place finish and cash prize due to his amateur status. Prajapati played two-over 70 and Rame carded five-under 63. They duo received Rs36,000 each.

Dhana Bahadur Thapa played three-under 65 to finish sixth at four-under 268 and collected Rs30,000. Three pros — Bhuwan Kumar Rokka (76), Deepak Magar (73) and Niraj Tamang (71) — shared seventh place with a total score of two-under 270 each and bagged Rs24,333 each. Rabi Khadka carded one-under 67 to finish 10th at even-par 272 and earned Rs20,000.

Winner Nagarkoti carded four-under 30 on the front nine with birdies on the first to fourth holes and the eighth against bogey on the seventh. At the back nine, Nagarkoti, who started the day with a one-stroke lead over Sanjay Lama, played two-over 36 holes with bogeys on the 14th and the 15th holes.

Runner-up Shrestha played four-under 30 on the front nine with birdies on the first, the second, the fourth, the sixth and the seventh holes against a lone bogey in the par-three fifth hole. In the second half, he carded birdies on the 10th and the 13th holes.

Lama carded even-par 34 on the front nine before slipping to two-over 36 on the back nine. He dropped a bogey on the second and carded a birdie on the sixth hole. After taking the turn, Lama dropped shots on the 12th, the 15th and the 18th holes against a birdie on the 13th hole.

Subash Tamang, the amateur section winner, played two-over 36 on the front nine and one-under 33 on the back nine.

Altogether 60 golfers — 38 pros and 22 amateurs — took part in the 72-hole competition organised by Nepal Professional Golfers Association under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd.

The event carried a purse of Rs545,000 with top 21 pros earning share in the cash prizes. Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd brand manager Rajat Thapa and RNGC president Prachanda Bahadur Shrestha, among others, gave away prizes to the winners of the tournament.