Top-ranked Shivaram Shrestha cruised into the quarter-final of the Surya Nepal NPGA Match Play golf tournament at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) on Tuesday.

Joining the Nepal No 1 in the last eight were Jayaram Shrestha, Rabi Khadka, Surya Prasad Sharma, Yelamber Singh Adhikari, Bhuwan Nagarkoti, Rame Magar and Sanjay Lama.

Shivaram strolled to 7&6 victory over No 16 ranked Ram Krishna Shrestha in the fifth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. He finished the match with six holes remaining. The second-ranked Lama won 2-up against No 15 Pradeep Kumar Lama as he was dragged until the final hole. No 3 Nagarkoti won 4&3 against No 14 Krishna Man Rajbahak, while No 4 Khadka saw off No 13 Pashupati Sharma 3&2.

Fifth-ranked Sharma beat No 12 Bikash Adhikari on the final hole, while No 11 Yelamber Singh Adhikari defeated No 6 Dhana Bahadur Thapa 3&2. Seventh-ranked Rame Magar beat his elder brother Deepak Magar in the final hole, while No 8 Jayaram Shrestha dispatched No 9 Ball Bhadra Rai 3&1.

Top 16 pros in the Order of Merit last season are competing in the three-day tournament organised by Nepal PGA. In the quarter-finals on Wednesday, Shivaram will be up against his brother Jayaram, while Lama will take on Rame Magar. Nagarkoti will meet Adhikari and Sharma will face Khadka. The semi-final matches will also be played on the same day, while the third-place playoff and final match—which will be played over 36 holes—has been scheduled for Thursday.

 Top four golfers will earn Rs 70,000, Rs 40,000, Rs 28,000 and Rs 20,000 in the tournament that offers Rs 250,000 in total prize money. The losing quarter-finalists will receive Rs 11,000 each, while the pros losing in the first round will get Rs 6,000 each.