Kathmandu, March 22

Defending champion Tashi Tshiring carded a record-breaking nine-under 63 and opened up a four-stroke lead over Tanka Bahadur Karki after the second day of the Nepal Amateur Open Golf Championship here at the Gokarna Golf Club today.

Tshiring broke his own record of seven-under by an amateur player and missed the course record by one stroke. The Gokarna Golf Club amateur Tshiring posted 10-under 134 and will go into the third and final round with four-shot advantage over Tanka Bahadur Karki, who carded four-under 68. Overnight leader Karki slipped to second at six-under 138.

Tshiring shot seven-under 29 before taking the turn and carded two-under 34 on the back nine. He carded five birdies on second, third, fifth, sixth and ninth holes and sank an eagle on the seventh in the bogey-free first half. Tshiring then shot four birdies on the 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th but he was undone by the bogeys on the 11th and 16th holes.

Overnight leader Karki carded four-under 32 on the front nine before playing even-par 36 on the latter half. Karki began the day with a bogey but came back strongly carding birdies on the second, third, sixth seventh and eighth holes. After taking the turn, Karki carded birdies on 12th and 13th holes before dropping shots on the 15th and 16th.

Sukra Bahadur Rai was third at one-over 145 after he carded two-under 70, while Subash Tamang (71) was further two shots behind at three-over 147. Prithvi Malla carded four-under 68 and was fifth at four-over 148, while Wangchen Dhondup slipped down to six-over 150 after carding six-over 78. Suman Pariyar (76) was seventh at nine-over 153, while three players Ajit BK (77), Niraj Tamang (77) and Vijay Shrestha Einhaus (75) shared the eighth position at 10-over 154.

A total of 30 players — including two from Bangladesh and one from Bhutan — survived the cut that was applied at 24-over 170.

Nepali teams clean swept the team event claiming top three spots. Nepal ‘A’ of Tanka Bahadur Karki and Sukra Bahadur Rai won the title with the total score of 283. Karki carded 70 and 68, while his teammate Rai played 75 and 70 in the 36-hole competition.

Nepal C team of Yubaraj Bhujel and Niraj Tamang was a distant second at 312. Bhujel shot 78 and 80, while Tamang played the rounds of 80 and 77. Nepal B comprising Suresh Tamang and Ajit BK were third with score of 315. In the five-team competition, Bangladesh (323) and Bhutan (336) were fourth and fifth respectively.