The Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) pro Rabi Khadka took an outright lead going into the third and final round of the Surya Nepal Eastern Open golf tournament on Thursday.

Khadka carded one-over 71 in the second round at the Nirvana Country Club for a total score of three-under 137 in the third event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2018-19. Overnight joint leader and fellow RNGC pro Shivaram Shrestha was lurking a stroke behind after shooting two-over 72 on Thursday. Amateur golfer Sukra Bahadur Rai was also within the striking range, two strokes behind the leaders after carding one-under 69 for a total of one-under 139.

Sanjay Lama was in third position after carding one-over 71 for a total of one-over 141. Bhuwan Nagarkoti (71), Bikash Adhikari (71), and Tham Bahadur Rai (71) were tied for fourth at two-over 142. Shiva Kumar Majhi shot two-over 72 for a total of three-over 143. Dev Raj Pakhrin (69) and Dinesh Prajapati are tied at four-over 144. Surya Prasad Sharma (70), Krishna Man Rajbahak (70), and Amateur Yubaraj Bhujel (72) were tied at five-over 145. Bal Bhadra Rai (74), amateur do Sukra Raj Rai (73) and Babindra Rai (74) are at six over 146.

Khadka carded one-under 35 on the front nine with bogey on the fourth against birdies on the eighth and ninth holes. On the back nine, Khadka dropped shots on the 10th and 12th holes for two over 36 card. 

Top-ranked pro Shivaram Shrestha shot a horrible four-over 40 on the front nine. He earned a shot on the second but made triple bogey on the par-5 third before dropping more shots on seventh and ninth holes. On his way back, Shrestha sank birdies on the 11th, 12th, 15th and 18th holes but his card was upset by a double-bogey on the 16th as he closed out at two-under 32.

Amateur golfer Rai birdied the third hole but bogeyed the very next hole. He dropped more shots on the sixth and eight but recovered well with a superb eagle on the par-4 ninth for even par-36. On the back nine, Rai had bogeys on the 11th but sank birdies on the 13th and 18th holes for one-under 33 card.

In all, 32 golfer survived the cut including 10 amateurs. The cut fell at 15-over 155. The tournament offers Rs 661,500 in total prize money. Top three pros will earn Rs 120,000, Rs 77,000 and Rs 55,000. Other pros to make the cut are also assured of their share of cash rewards.