On Thursday, Niraj Tamang won the Surya Nepal NPGA Match Play title, the sixth event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2024-25. The event took place at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club. Niraj, ranked second, defeated eighth-seeded Dhana Bahadur Thapa in the 36-hole final with a score of 5&4.
How the Match Unfolded
Niraj led throughout the match. After nine holes, he was 2-up. By the halfway point, after 18 holes, he had increased his lead to 6-up. Dhana Thapa managed to close the gap slightly to 5-down after 27 holes, but Niraj sealed the win on the 32nd hole, with four holes still to play.
Niraj’s Successful Season
This win marks Niraj’s third title this season and his fourth overall in the Surya Nepal Golf Tour. His first win came last season at the Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open. This season, Niraj also won the Surya Nepal Eastern Open and the Surya Nepal Western Open.
Prize Money for the Winners
Niraj received a cash prize of Rs 60,000 along with the title. Dhana Bahadur Thapa, who finished second, earned Rs 42,000. In the third-place playoff, defending champion Dinesh Prajapati defeated Rabi Khadka 4&2. Dinesh won Rs 32,000, while Rabi earned Rs 24,000.
Quarter-Finalists and Their Earnings
The four quarter-finalists—Bhuvan Nagarkoti, Pradip Kumar Lama, Toran Bikram Shahi, and Rame Magar—each received Rs 11,000.
First-Round Eliminations
The pros who were eliminated in the first round received Rs 6,000 each. These players were Pashupati Sharma, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Sanjay Lama, Jayram Shrestha, Ramesh Adhikari, Deepak Magar, and Surya Prasad Sharma.
Participants in the Event
The event featured 16 professionals from the Order of Merit of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2023-24. The competition followed the match-play format.
Prize Distribution
Keshav Pradhan, Deputy General Manager (Marketing) at Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd, and Tashi Ghale, President of the Nepal Golf Association, were present to award the prizes to the winners.