Top amateurs Tanka Bahadur Karki, Sukra Bahadur Rai, Tashi Ghale, Shiva Kumar Majhi and top female golfer Pratima Sherpa among others will battle it out to earn status as professional golfers when the Surya Nepal Golf Tour qualifying school tees off at Royal Nepal Golf Club on Wednesday.

In all 22 aspiring amateurs golfers will rub their shoulders in the 54-hole tournament. Top five golfers who scores below 15-over total after 54 holes will earn pro tour card.

Players with advance

notice before teeing off the tournament will have the option of holding their pro card and still maintain amateur their status. Sherpa has already informed her intension to hold the pro card for at least a couple of years if she earns the status.

Nepal Professional Golfers Association organises the event annually to allow amateurs the opportunity to turn professionals. Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd. has been organizing Surya Nepal Golf Tour since 2008.

Currently 62 active local professionals golfers are registered at the Nepal Professional Golfers Association. The tournament ends on Friday.