Bhuwan Nagarkoti opened up a two-stroke lead over Purna Sharma after the second round of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Tuesday.

Nagarkoti carded five-under 67 to take an outright lead with a total score of four-under 140 during the ninth event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. Sharma shot two-under 70 to move up to second with a total of two-under 142. Rame Magar and Surya Prasad Sharma carded an identical one-under 71 to share the third position at 143.

Dhana Bahadur Thapa (72) and Rabi Khadka (74) shared the fifth position at even-par 144, while Ramesh Nagarkoti (75) and Deepak Acharya (71) were tied for seventh at one-over 145. Ram Krishna Shrestha (70) was ninth at 146, while Shiva Kumar Majhi (76) slipped to 10th with 147. Jayaram Shrestha (73) and top ranked pro Shivaram Shrestha (78) shared the 11th position at four-over 148.

The cut was applied at 10-over 154 and 22 pros and eight amateurs made it to the final two rounds. Bikash Adhikari, Bal Bhadra Rai, Dinesh Prajapati, Ashish Pariyar, Bhu Bahadur Gurung, Deepak Magar, Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, Shivaram Poudel, Krishna Man Rajbahak and Bikash Bogati survived the cut.

The Gokarna pro Nagarkoti shot four-under 32 on the front nine and one-under 35 on the back nine. He sank birdies on the first, third, sixth and seventh holes. On the back nine, Nagarkoti sank birdies on the 10th and 12th against a sole bogey on the 14th hole. Sharma carded three-under 33 on the front nine but shot one-over 37 on the back nine. He sank birdies on the first, third and sixth holes in his bogey-free front nine. On the back nine, Sharma dropped shots on the 14th and 16th against a birdie on the final hole.

Rame Magar carded two-under 34 on the front nine and one-over 37 on the back. He sank six birdies but also dropped five shots. Surya carded three-under 33 on the front nine and two-over 38 on the back nine. His round included four birdies and three bogeys.

Tanka Bahadur Karki shot one-over 73 for a 36-hole total of even-par 144. He was two strokes ahead of Tashi Tsering, who played three-over 75 for the total score of two-over 146. Subash Tamang (76) was in third at 148. Prithvi Malla (74) was fourth at 150. Sukra Bahadur Tamang, Sunil KC, Binod Tamang and Dhruba Jung Thapa also made the cut as amateurs.

In all 60 golfers—36 pros and 24 amateurs—participated in the first two rounds of the tournament. The event offers Rs 630,000 in total prize money. The eventual champion will receive Rs 115,000, the runner-up earn Rs 74,000 and the third-place pro will take home Rs 53,000. Other pros to survive the cut are also assured of cash prizes.