Amateur Subash Tamang registered a convincing seven-stroke victory to clinch Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Thursday.

Tamang, who came into the final round with a two-stroke lead, played four-under 68 in the final round to wrap up the event with 19-under 269. The 13th South Asian Games twin gold medallist Tamang also became the first amateur to win three major titles after Surya Nepal Challenge in 2019 and Surya Nepal Western Open in April.

Nepal No 1 pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti and Sukra Bahadur Rai finished behind Tamang for total scores of 12-under 276. Nagarkoti, who started the day two shots behind Tamang, played his worst round of the tournament on Thursday at one-over 73. Rai, coming into the final round eight strokes behind Tamang and six behind Nagarkoti, played a card of five-under 67.

Nagarkoti and Rai shared a purse of Rs111,500 each as the joint winners among pros while Tamang was not eligible for cash prize due to his amateur status.

Rabi Khadka played even-par 72 to wrap up with six-under 282 to come third among pros and fourth overall. He bagged a purse of Rs65,000. Niraj Tamang played four-under 68 for a total score of four-under 284 and walked away with prize of Rs53,500. Dhana Bahadur Thapa produced a card of three-under 69 to wrap up at three-under 285 and earned Rs 45,000.

Dinesh Prajapati (73) and amateur Sadbhav Acharya (75) finished with a total score of one-under 287. Prajapati was sixth among pros and collected a purse of Rs40,000 while Acharya finished runner up in amateur category.

Amateur Wangchen Dhondup carded three-under 69 for a total score of even-par 288 to come third in amateur section and finish ninth overall along with Jayaram Shrestha, who played a card of even-par 72. Shrestha received a purse of Rs36,000 for a seventh finish among pros.

Sanjay Lama (74) and Bal Bhadra Rai (68) finished joint eighth among professionals and 11th overall with total scores of three-over 291. The duo got Rs32,000 each. Bhuwan Kumar Rokka (78) and Rajendra Thapa Magar (71) were tied in 10th position among pros and 13th overall at a final score of eight-over 296 and earned Rs 27,000 each. Others in top 21 also earned their share of cash prizes.

Tamang, who sank an eagle on the third hole and birdies on the seventh and ninth finished the first half at four-under 32 to extend his lead by six strokes over Nagarkoti. On the back half, he birdied on 10th, 12th and 18th holes but also dropped a shot each on 14th, 15th and 16th holes to play even-par 36.

Nagarkoti played even-par 36 on the front nine with birdies on the third, fifth and seventh holes against bogeys on the second, fourth and ninth holes. On the back nine, he birdied on 11th and 18th holes but double-bogey on the 14th and bogey on the 15th hole to play one-over 37.

Rai played a bogey free round with birdie on the third hole for one-under 35 on the front nine. After taking the turn, he made eagle on 11th and birdies on 12th and 14th holes for four-under 32.

Altogether 31 pros and 13 amateurs took part in the seventh event of Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021-22 which carried a cash prize of Rs775,000. Organiser Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd’s marketing vice president Dipra Lahiri and Nepal Golf Association president Tashi Ghale, among others, gave away the prizes to the winners.