Kathmandu, March 19:

Deepak Acharya extended his lead to five strokes over Sabin Sapkota after the second round of the NPGA Classic Golf Tournament here at the Le Meridien Gokarna Forest Golf Resort

& Spa today.

Acharya, who had one-over 72 at the Tribhuvan Army Officers’ Golf Club in the first round, carded three under 69 for an overall two-under 141, going to the final round at the Royal Nepal Golf Club on Tuesday. Acharya had birdies on the first, third, fifth, 11th and 12th hole finishing the first nine two-under and back nine one-under. He also bogeyed on the fourth and 13th holes.

Sapkota, who matched Acharya with two-under 24 in the front nine, had a double bogey in the 10th and a bogey in the 12th letting Acharya extend the lead. Sapkota had carded three-over 74 in the first round.

Rajan Thapa and Deepak Thapa Magar ended the day at joint third with six-over

143. Thapa had a round of two-over 74, while Thapa Magar, after his disastrous six over 71 in the first round, carded even par.

SCORES AFTER 36 HOLES: 141 - Deepak Acharya; 146 - Sabin Sapkota, 149 - Rajan Thapa, Deepak Thapa Magar, 151 - Ramesh Nagarkoti, 152 - Deepak Neupane,

154 - Radhe Shyam Thapa, 157 - Sanjay Lama, 160 - Sachin Bhattarai, 161 - CB Bhandari, 162 - Sukra Raj Limbu, 164 - Mani Rai, 168 - Pashupati Sharma, 169 - Ram Thapa, 171 - Raju Pariyar, 180 - Suman Sapkota, 182 - Bhimsen Karki.