Kathmandu, November 9:

Top pro Shiva Ram Shrestha entered the quarter-finals of the Samsung Mobile NGA Match Play Golf Tournament but not before struggling against Radhe Shyam Thapa here at the Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) today.

Shrestha had a tough time against the Army Club pro on the first day of the tournament, the third event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2008. Shrestha, who won the previous two events under the tour, went two-up after the first two holes but Thapa found his rhythm and forced the match until the last hole.

Thapa bounced back to level the game on the fifth hole and maintained that till the eighth. Shiva Ram won next three holes to go 3-up and held on the lead till the 15th hole. Thapa took the 16th and 17th holes to force the match to the last hole. Despite being one-down, Thapa chose to play it safe and lost the match.

Others who made it to the last eight were Pashupati Sharma, Deepak Acharya, Deepak Thapa

Magar, Surya Sharma, Ram Thapa, Rabi Khadka and Mani Rai.

The best winning golfer was Gokarna pro Acharya, who came home 5-up with four holes remaining against Deepak Neupane. Acharya was 4-up after the first five holes and went 6-up after 11 holes. Acharya finished off the match with a 30-footer birdie on the 14th hole.

The match between Surya Sharma and Sanjay Lama was decided on play-off after they were level in 18 holes. In play off, Sharma sank a birdie to win the match.

Gokarna pro Sharma, who won the Pro-Am event on Saturday, finished off the match on the 16th hole going 4-up against Jaya Ram Shrestha. Deepak Thapa had a easy day after he went 4-up with three holes to go against Krishna Hari Mijar.

Ram Thapa beat Ram Krishna Shrestha, Rabi Khadka beat Ramesh Nagarkoti and Mani Rai outplayed Sachin Bhattarai.

The quarter-finals and the semi-finals are slated for Monday, while the final will be held on Tuesday.