Top pro Shivaram Shrestha shot carded two-under 66 to open up a two-stroke lead going into the final round of the Surya Nepal Golf Challenge at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) on Thursday.

The Nepal No golfer signed off the third round at four-under 200 total, two strokes ahead of his elder brother Jayaram who carded a miserable five-over 73 on Thursday.

Bhuwan Nagarkoti of Gokarna Golf Club was at third at even-par 204 after a third round card of two-over 70 at the second event held under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2016-17. Rame Magar carded even-par 68 to stay at fourth with a of two-over 206. Sanjay Lama dropped to fifth after shooting nine-over 77.

Chuda Bahadur Bhandari moved to sixth at five-over 209 after carding one-under 67. Rabi Khadka (70) is seventh at 210, followed by Dhana Bahadur Thapa (75) and Deepak Magar (71). Ram Krishna Shrestha (75), Bikash Adhikari (75) and Surya Prasad Sharma (71) shared the 10th position at 11-over 215.

Shivaram carded one-over 35 in his first nine befoe shooting three-under 31 on the back nine. The RNGC pro sank a birdie on the second against bogeys on the third and ninth holes. On his way back, Shivaram earned shots at the 11th, 13th and 14th holes.

Overnight leader Jayaram shot four-over 38 on the front nine and one-over 35 on the back nine. His round included five birdies on the second, 10th, 13th, 17th and 18 holes but he faced three double bogeys on the third, 11th and 15th holes and four bogeys on the sixth, seventh, ninth and 16th holes. Nagarkoti shot even-par 34 on the front nine and two-over 36 on the back nine. Rame Magar carded one-over 35 and one-under 33 for an even-par 68. Sanjay Lama dropped six shots on the par-4 seventh hole to take the turn at eight-over 42. He carded one-over 35 on the back nine.

Mithun Rai leads the amateur category at 215 after carding six-over 74 on Thursday. One stroke behind Rai was Santosh Rokka, who shot a 72. Shiva Kumar Majhi shot 76 and stays third at 218. In all, 22 pros and six amateur golfers are contesting in the final two rounds.

The tournament carries a total prize money Rs 400,000 with the eventual champions assured of Rs 75,000. The first runner-up will get Rs 46,000 and the second runner-up will receive Rs 31,500. Other pros will also earn their share of cash prizes irrespective of where they finish in the leaderboard.