The most successful Nepali professional golfer won the Surya Nepal Masters title after a thrilling last round, where he overcome Indian golfer Abhijit Singh Chadha in play-off. Shrestha, who began the last day of the four-day tournament three strokes behind Chadha, carded five-under 67 on Saturday to tie with Chadha at over-all total of 18-under 270 and pulled the victory after play-off on the par-4 18th hole, where he shot a birdie and Chadha just saved a par.[break]
With the title victory on Saturday, Shrestha won his 22nd title of the career.
The 29 year old from Sinamangal, Kathmandu was happy to beat top class Indian golfers like Asian Tour player Anirban Lahari and Samim Khan on the field.
"It was a tough to win the title. You can´t imagine cake-walk at the Surya Nepal Masters, where some top class golfers take the field," said Shrestha.
"I´m happy to have the biggest achievement of my life so far. I have a plan of playing Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) events regularly and have a dream of playing Asian Tour in future," said Shrestha, who claims his relation with the golf will go on until his last breathe.
Shrestha had long relationship with golf as he came to know the game from his early childhood as his father Arjun Shrestha served at the Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) for more than two decades.
"The RNGC course is near to my house and my father served there. Thus, I knew the game from my childhood. The way people used to play golf fascinated me and I started loving it," recalled Shrestha.
He than established his relationship with golf as a ball boy at the RNGC at the age of 14. After few years, he turned a caddie and then started amateur career later on.
He won Surya Nepal Western Open in 2005 when he was an amateur golfer and received praises from all over.
Shrestha´s professional career began in 2007 where he won CMS Open. He then won five titles on the 2008-09 seasons.
After a successful season, Shrestha sustained injuries in a bike accident and could not catch up his previous form in the season of 2009-10. However, he made a comeback in the season of 2010-11 and claimed five more titles. He claimed six titles on 2011-12 season and four titles on 2012-13.
With a prolific season of 2010-11, Shrestha topped the ranking of Nepali professional golfers and he is currently Nepal´s No 1 golfer.
After winning the Surya Nepal Masters, where Shrestha had finished third in the last season, he not only strengthened his stake in South Asian golf but also gave big smile on his father´s face. "It´s dream come true. My two-decade long service at the golf course paid me back," said happy father.
Shrestha gave credit to his labor as well as his supporters and well-wishers. "On my success I have many people to credit. Mr Tashi Ghale and Nagendra K Pampati of the ISME Pvt Ltd, who support me for the PGTI events as well as all my coaches and seniors are behind my success," he added.
In his golfing career, Shrestha had participated in different training programs in India, Thailand and the USA as well as he had played few tournaments of Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). He was in the waiting list of PGTI for the season of 2011-12 in foreigners´ category but he won full card of PGTI in 2012-13 and finished on the 36th position.
The victory at Gokarna on Saturday lifted Shrestha to the fifth position of the Rolex ranking of PGTI.
"I want to play more PGTI tournaments and do well there in future," vowed Shrestha.
After turning to professional career, Shrestha topped the merit list of Surya Nepal Golf Tour in 2008-09 and has been regularly on the top since 2010-2011 seasons.
With the title win, Shrestha earned Rs 7,75,920 and secured berth to play All India Open. Surya Masters is the only co-sanctioned event of PGTI and Nepal Professional Golfers Association.
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