Nepal number one amateur golfer Sadbhav Acharya recorded a seven-stroke victory over pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti to win the title of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship, the sixth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2023-24, at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Thursday.

Overnight leader Acharya carded a bogey-free 3-under 69 for the 72-hole total of 14-under 274 to claim the third major career title. Acharya became the youngest winner in the Tour by winning the Surya Nepal Challenge last year. He won the season-opening Surya Nepal Central Open and became the first player to win two titles in the 2023-24 season.

Pro Nagarkoti finished overall second with the score of 7-under 281 after he faltered to 3-over 75 in the final round. He was one stroke behind Acharya going into the final round and finished first among pros winning the top prize money of Rs140,000.

Amateur Vijay Shrestha Einhaus finished as runner-up in amateur section. He was tied for overall third with pro Niraj Tamang at 4-under 284. Einhaus carded 1-under 71 in the final round, while Tamang carded 2-under 70. Tamang received runner-up prize money of Rs96,000. Dinesh Prajapati finished third among pros with the total score of even-par 288 and earned Rs74,000. Prajapati played 3-over 75 in the final round.

Tashi Tsering fired second straight 1-under 71 to finish third among amateurs at 1-over 289 and was sixth overall. National team member Rahul Bishwakarma was seventh at 291 after he played 2-over 74 in the final round.

Sanjay Lama and Dhana Bahadur Thapa shared fourth position among pros at 4-over 292.They received Rs54,500 each. Former top pro Rabi Khadka (74) was sixth at 5-over 293 and walked home with Rs42,500. Rame Magar and Bhuwan Kumar Rokka shared the seventh position at 7-over 295. They bagged a purse of Rs37,250 each. Yuvaraj Bhujel and Bal Bhadra Rai were tied for ninth at 299 and they got Rs 32,000 each.

Amateur Acharya was one stroke ahead of pro Nagarkoti and he extended the lead to six strokes after the front nine. Acharya carded a birdie on the sixth hole on his way to carding 1-under 35 on the front nine, while Nagarkoti faltered to four-over 40. Nagarkoti levelled the scores with Acharya with a birdie on the third hole but suffered a double bogey on the seventh and dropped shots on the sixth, eighth and ninth holes.

After taking the turn, Acharya carded 2-under 34 with the help of birdies on the 12th and 17th holes. Nagarkoti bounced back on the back nine carding 1-under 35. He carded birdies on the 13th, 14th and 18th holes and faced bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes.

Amateur Einhaus made an impressive run in the tournament carding 2-under 70 in the first round and 1-over 73 in the third round. He took the turn at even-par 36 and carded 1-under 35 on the back nine. He dropped shots on the first and fifth holes against birdies on the third and seventh hole. On the back nine, Einhaus carded a birdie on the 11th and saved pars on eight other holes.

Pro Tamang carded 2-under 34 on the front nine and played even-par 36 on the back nine. He carded birdies on the first, third and ninth holes and dropped a shot on the fourth hole. On the back nine, he carded birdies on the 14th and 15th holes before facing bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes.