The team of professional golfer Shivaram Shrestha clinched the Pro-Am title of the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Sunday.

The Nepal No 1 pro teamed up with amateurs Navaraj Thapa, Shreeyog Basnyat, and Sam Doublard to accumulate 149 points. Shrestha scored 40 points, Thapa and Basnyat earned 37 each while Doublard scored 35 points. The team of pro Deepak Acharya (38) and amateurs Miae Lee (35), Pavitra Karki (34), and Mayank Dahal (34) collected a total of 141 for a second place finish.

Pro Sanjay Lama (38) and amateurs Sadbhav Acharya (34), Philip Hutchinson (33) and Gopal Chitrakar (31) scored 137 points for a third place finish. Surendra Phuyal received the longest drive and Brandon Lee got the closest-to-the-pin awards.

A total of 86 golfers including 23 pros took part in the Pro-Am event played under stableford 3/4 handicap format. Top pro scorer was automatically teamed with top three amateurs for the winning team. Fourth, fifth and sixth amateur scorers were teamed with second best professional for runner-up team and those amateurs finishing seventh, eighth and ninth were teamed up with the third best pro for the second runner-up finish.

The pro event itself tees off on Monday with 55 golfers—41 pros and 14 amateurs—taking part for the championship. Top-ranked Shrestha will be up against the likes of Bhuwan Nagarkoti, Sanjay Lama, Dhana Thapa, Toran Shahi and former Indian No 1 Feroz Ali. Top Nepali amateurs in the pro event include Tanka Bahadur Karki, Sukra Bahadur Rai, Ajit BK and Prithvi Malla.

The tournament offers Rs 1.26 million in prize money.