A dramatic collapse of overnight leader Jayaram Shrestha allowed Dhana Bahadur Thapa to clinch the Surya Nepal Western Open title with victory over Nepal No 1 Shivaram Shrestha in playoff at the par-70 Himalayan Golf Course on Friday.

The Army Club pro beat defending champion and top-ranked Shrestha in the second extra hole after tying on six-over 216 in regulation 54-hole play. In the testing course only one golfer returned with an under-par score in the whole tournament.

Thapa saved par on the 18th hole as Shrestha missed his par putt from five feet to decide the outcome in the extra hole. It was Thapa’s third career title and the second in Pokhara. He won the Western Open in 2015 and the Surya Nepal Challenge at his home course in Kathmandu in 2011. Thapa received Rs 115,000, while Shivaram got Rs 74,000. 

In regulation third and final round, Thapa carded one-over 71, while Shivaram shot even-par 70. Bhuwan Nagarkoti finished third at nine-over 219 after carding three-over 73 on Friday. Leader of the first two rounds, Jayaram Shrestha shot a horrible 12-over 82 for a total of 13-over 223 and dropped to a tie for fourth with local pro Bhu Bahadur Gurung, who carded a 77.

Nagarkoti got Rs 53,000, while Jayaram and Bhu Bahadur Gurung received Rs 39,500 each. Rabi Khadka and Bhuwan Kumar Rokka finished in tie for sixth at 224. Surya Prasad Sharma and veteran Deepak Magar, who shot the only under-par score in the tournament when he returned with tw0-under 68 on Friday, shared the eighth position at 225. Rame Magar was 10 at 227.

Ajit BK won the amateur category title, his first silverware of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour. BK shot 14-over 224 after a nine-over 79 in the final round on Friday. Suresh Tamang finished in second on countback after tying on 233 with Niraj Tamang.

In the regulation play, Shivaram opened up four-shot lead but faltered in the closing holes. Thapa carded two-over 37 on the front nine and one-under 34 on the back nine. Thapa had bogeys on the seventh and 15th, a double-bogey on the ninth against birdies on the fifth, 16th and 17th holes.

Shivaram shot even-par 35 on both the halves. He dropped shots on the sixth, 14th and 17th holes against a birdie on the third and an eagle on the 10th. Jayaram, who started the final round with a four-stroke lead, carded six-over 41 in each half. He dropped shots on the second, fifth, seventh, ninth, 12th, 14th and 16th holes to add to a double bogey on the third and a triple bogey on the 18th.

In all 43 golfers took part in the seventh event held under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18.