The Surya Nepal Challenge is set to tee off here at the par-67 Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) on Tuesday.

The second event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2016-17 will be played over 72 holes over four days. In all, 29 professional and 11 amateur golfers will take part in the event. The cut will be applied after 36 holes with 21 top pros and top six amateurs will make the cut for the final two rounds.

The tournament carries a total prize money of Rs 400,000 with the champion asssured of receiving Rs 75,000. The first runner-up will get Rs 46,000 and second runner-up will take home Rs 31,500. Other pros to make the cut are also assured of their share of cash rewards. Nepal No 1 Shiva Ram Shrestha, Bhuwan Nagarkoti, Rabi Khadka, Sanjay Lama and Ram Thapa are main contenders of the championship. Ramesh Adhikari is not defending the title he won last year.

Shiva Kumar Majhi and Mithun Rai are the top contenders for the amateur trophy. Other top amatuer golfers Sukra Bahadur Rai, Tanka Bahadur Karki and Tenzing Tshiring will miss the tournament as they are undergoing training in Bangladesh.

Nepal Professional Golfers Association and RNGC President Rabindra Man Shrestha said: “The field looks good and I look forward to good performance from the professionals and amateurs. I would like to express my gratitude to the sponsor for their support towards the development of the game.”