Shivaram Shrestha clinched the Golfer Pilots NPGA Classic with a five-stroke victory over Bhuwan Nagarkoti at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club in Kathmandu on Friday.

The top-ranked professional golfer of Nepal shot one-under 71 in the third and final round for a total card of eight-under 200. The Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) pro started the day at seven-under 129 played at the par-68 RNGC before shifting to Gokarna. Shrestha, who earned Rs 55,000 for his effort, has now won five of the six titles of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. The victory also extended his total career titles to 41. He has already won Ghana Shyam’s Professional Golden Jubilee Golf Championship, Central Open, Eastern Open and NPGA Match Play titles this season.

Nagarkoti carded one-under 71 on Friday for a total score of three-under 205 and got Rs 37,000. Rame Magar shot a 74 to finish third at one-over 209 and received Rs 25,000. Jayaram Shrestha, who carded 72, ended up in fourth at five-over 213 to take home Rs 22,000.

Sanjay Lama, Rabi Khadka and Dhana Bahadur finished in a tie for fifth at six-over 214 and received Rs 16,833 each. Surya Prasad Sharma, Kumar Karki, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and Bal Bhadra Rai shared eighth place at eight-over 216. All four earned Rs 10,750 each.

Binod Tamang won the amateur category title with the score of 12-over 220. He carded six-over 78 in the final round. Subash Ghising finished three shots behind in second after shooting 10-over 82 on Friday. Pratima Sherpa, who made a hole-in-one during the second round at the RNGC, received gift hamper worth Rs 10,000.

Shrestha carded one-over 37 on the front nine and two-under 34 on the back nine. He dropped shots on the second, fifth and sixth holes against birdies on the third and seventh. On his way back, Shrestha sank birdies on the 12th and 13th holes. Nagarkoti shot two-under 34 on the front nine and one-over 37 on the back nine. Nagarkoti sank birdies on the third, fourth and seventh but had a bogey on the fifth hole. On the back nine, he sank a birdie on the 12th but dropped shots on the 14th and 16th holes.

Rame Magar shot one-over 37 in each half. He dropped shots on the second, fourth and eighth against birdies on the third and eighth holes. Magar had a  triple bogey on the 11th but recovered with birdies on the 13th and 16th holes on his way back.

In all, 31 pros and 13 amateur players took part in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by pilot golfers, Capt Rabindra Purush Dhakal, Capt Deepak Thapaliya and Capt Vijay Pratap Singh. The event re-surfaced for the first time since 2009 and has been added to the Surya Nepal Golf Tour from this year. The Pro-Am will be held at the Gokarna on Saturday with 23 pros and 69 amateurs in fray for the top honour.