Rahul Biswakarma is only 24 years old. Yet he was ahead of professionals with far more experience to lift the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship, the biggest tournament of the season in terms of cash prize, at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Thursday.

“It feels amazing,” Biswakarma told the Post, with a big smile and a trophy each in both of his hands.

While one of the trophies was for winning the championship as the best golfer in the competition, the other was for finishing as the best amateur. A total of 37 pros and 18 amateur golfers took part in the 72-hole tournament.

Biswakarma finished third on Day 1 of the four-day event with his score, 3 under par, tied with pros Bhuvan Nagarkoti and Dhan Bahadur Thapa, and Bhutanese amateur Nim Dorji Tamang.

On Day 2, Biswakarma was on the top of the leaderboard, but not alone. Biswakarma had defending champion Subash Tamang, a Nepali pro who also plays in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), in the race with their overall score tied at 10 under par on Day 2.

On Day 3, Biswakarma, finishing at 16 under par, cemented his top spot with a one-stroke lead over Tamang.

And on the final day, Biswakarma extended the lead to five strokes after the completion of the front nine and never looked back. He took the turn at 5-under 31 with birdies on the first, third, sixth, seventh and ninth holes. He levelled the 72-hole record of 23-under with birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, but he faced a double bogey on the 14th hole and settled for an even-par 36 on the back nine.

Overall, Biswakarma carded a 5-under 67 in the final round for a total score of 21-under 267.

But it was not Tamang who finished second after the end of Day 4; it was pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti. Nagarkoti fell short of two strokes against Biswakarma.

“I was not only the champion among amateurs, but also among the professionals,” Biswakarma shared. “Thus, this win will have a big impact on my future as a golfer.”

Nagarkoti, as the best professional of the event, walked away with a cheque of Rs300,000. “We will have a party from this,” Nagarkoti said to his friends after returning from the stage with the cheque.

Nagarkoti’s remarks suggested that he was not saddened by the fact that he lost to an amateur. He seemed happy to see amateurs doing so well.

Biswakarma stressed that this was the best season in his career. “It was my second title, which made this win extra special,” he said.

Biswakarma had won the Surya Nepal Central Open, the inaugural event of the 2024-25 season, at the same venue. The Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship was the eighth and final event of the season.

“He would have made a record at Gokarna if he had not struggled in the final hole,” said Rabindra Man Shrestha, president of the Nepal Professional Golfers’ Association, the organiser. “The association is happy to see better talent in Nepali golf.”

Biswakarma said that he wanted to continue as an amateur for the next two years. “Then, I shall try for the PGTI and turn professional,” he said. “I would have also played in the Asian Games by then.”

Similarly, Nepal’s No. 1 amateur, Sadbhav Acharya, finished third overall and second among amateurs with a total score of 18-under 270.

Defending champion Tamang was fourth overall and second among pros with a total score of 15-under 273 after the final day. He played an even-par 72 in the final round and earned Rs185,000.

Bhutan’s Tamang came fifth overall and third among amateurs with a total score of 14-under 274. “It was a great experience to play here,” the Bhutanese amateur shared.

Meanwhile, it was Niraj Tamang who finished the season at the top of the Order of Merit with total earnings of Rs867,500 from eight tournaments and became the No. 1 pro. He won three titles in the season.