Kathmandu, October 9

Top pro Shivaram Shrestha opened up a seven-shot lead after the halfway stage of the Surya Nepal Central Open here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.

Defending champion Shrestha carded five-under 67 to post the score of nine-under 135 after the second day of the season opening event of Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2018-19. The RNGC pro Shrestha was seven strokes ahead of home club pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti, who carded a 68, and amateur golfer Tashi Tshiring (67).

Shrestha was on fire in the second round as he carded five birdies on his way to carding four-under 32 on the front nine and added one-under 35 on the back nine. He began the day with a birdie and added four more on the third, fifth, seventh and eighth holes. He dropped a shot on the sixth. Shrestha carded three birdies on the 11th, 12th and 14th holes before facing two straight bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes.

Nagarkoti carded five-under 31 on the front nine and played one-over 37 on the back nine. He carded birdies on the third, fourth, and fifth holes before sinking an eagle on the seventh. Nagarkoti suffered a double bogey on the 11th and faced bogey on 17th against birdies on the 13th and 18th holes.

Amateur Tshiring suffered a bogey on the first hole but came back strongly carding five birdies on the second, third, fourth, sixth and ninth to take the turn at four-under 32. On the back nine, he carded four birdies on the 10th, 12th, 15th and 16th holes but he suffered a double bogey on 14th and a bogey on the final hole that forced him finish the back nine at one-under 35.

Dhana Thapa was fourth at one-under 143 after he played one-over 73, while amateur Wangchen Dhondup (71) was next at one-over 145. Surya Prasad Sharma (71) was sixth at two-over 146. Four pros - Jayaram Shrestha (68), Deepak Acharya (75), Bikash Adhikari (75) and Deepak Magar (76) - and two amateurs Sunil KC (76) and Sandip Tamang (76) shared the seventh.

The cut was applied at 14-over 158 with 22 pros and nine amateurs making it to the final two rounds.