The Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open, fifth event on the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2016-17, tees off at the Royal Nepal Golf Club on Tuesday.

The tournament will be played over 72 holes and conclude on Friday. In all, 29 professional and 11 amateur golfers will take part in the tournament. Top 21 pro and top six amateur golfers will make the cut after 36 holes for the final two rounds.

The event carries a total prize money Rs 500,000 with the winner winning Rs 85,000, runner-up taking home Rs. 58,000 and third place Rs 45,000. Other pros to make the cut are also assured of their share of cash prizes. Top ranked pro Shiva Ram Shrestha, Bhuwan Nagarkoti, Rabi Khadka, Sanjay Lama and Ram Thapa are main contenders of the new event added on the Surya Nepal Golf Tour this year.

Tenzing Tsering, Sukra Bahadur Rai, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Shiva Kumar Majhi and Mithun Rai will be vying for the amateur championship. NPGA and RNGC President Rabindra Man Shrestha said: “We are delighted and thankful to the sponsor for adding this new event on the Surya Nepal Golf Tour. Pros and amateurs are getting more opportunity to compete, and I expect the scoring to be low this week. I wish all the players the very best.”