Top ranked Shivaram Shrestha clinched the Surya Nepal NPGA Match Play golf tournament here at the par-67 Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) on Thursday.

The RNGC pro beat second ranked Sanjay Lama of Tribhuvan Army Officers Golf Club 3&1 in the final played over 36 holes. The Nepal No 1 Shrestha earned Rs 50,000 and Lama received Rs 30,000. It was Shrestha’s 19th domestic career title and the first of the season. Of the last four events held under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2015-16, Shrestha had runner-up finishes on all occasions.

Earlier, Bhuwan Nagarkoti of Gokarna Golf Club defeated defending champion Rabi Khadka of RNGC 4&2 in the third-place match played over 18 holes. Nagarkoti received Rs 22,000 and Khadka received Rs 18,000.

Four losing quarter-finalists Rame Magar, Deepak Thapa Magar, Dhana Thapa and Surya Prasad Sharma got Rs 10,000 each.

Eight other golfers who crashed out from the first round earned Rs 5,000 each. Sixteen top ranked players participated in the tournament played over three days.