Kathmandu, May 9

Surya Prasad Sharma maintained the lead after the second round of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.

Sharma carded one-under 71 to post the 36-hole total score of seven-under 137. He had shot a bogey-free six-under 66 on the opening day of the seventh event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2016-17.

Nepal No 1 pro Shivaram Shrestha was five strokes off the pace at two-under 142 after he carded second straight 71.

Sharma carded three-under 33 on the front nine with the help of birdies on the third, fourth and seventh hole. He then played two-over 38 on the latter half. Sharma carded a birdie on the 13th before facing a double bogey on the 14th and dropped a shot on the 17th hole.

Shrestha, who won the first four events of the series, carded one-under 35 on the front nine. Shrestha began the day with a bogey and added another on the eighth against birdies on third, fifth, and sixth holes. On the back nine, Shrestha carded a birdie on the 11th and faced a bogey on the next hole for even-par 36.

Sanjay Lama was third at one-under 143 after he played even-par 72. Lama carded birdies on third and sixth holes against a bogey on the first before taking the turn at one-under 35. On the back nine, Lama played one-over 37 that included birdies on 11th and 13th against bogeys on the 10th, 14th and 15th holes.

Rame Magar shot one-over 73 to be at fourth with the score of even-par 144. Amateur Tanka Bahadur Karki carded one-under 71 for a total of three-over 147. Bhuwan Nagarkoti (75), and Rabi Khadka (73) were tied at four-over 148. Rajendra Thapa Magar carded three-over 75 for a total of five-over 149, while Pashupati Sharma (77) was at seven-over 151.

In amateur section, Karki played one-over 37 on the front nine and carded two-under 34 on the latter half. Tenzing Tsering was a distant second at 11-over 155 after he played four-over 76, while Bipin Tamang (81) was third at 16-over 160.

Cut was applied at 16-over 160 and top 21 pros and six amateur golfers made it to the final two rounds. A total of 40 players — 31 pros and 15 amateur golfers — teed off on the first day of the four-day tournament sponsored by Surya Nepal Pvt Ltd.

The event carries a total purse of Rs 600,000 and the top three pros will receive Rs 110,000, Rs 70,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. Others in the top 21 will also receive their share of cash prizes.