Top ranked Shivaram Shrestha opened up a three-stroke lead over Surya Prasad Sharma in the second round of the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Tuesday.

The Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) pro Shrestha carded a sizzling seven-under 65 for a total of 13-under 131 in the eighth and final event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2016-17. Fellow RNGC pro Sharma also carded seven-under 65 to climb to second at 10-under 134. Overnight joint leaders Sanjay Lama and Dhana Bahadur Thapa dropped to third and fourth places respectively. Lama shot two-under 70 for 36-hole total of nine-under 135, while Thapa carded one-under 71 for eight-under 136. Amateur golfer Sukra Bahadur Rai was at fifth with five-under 139 after shooting one-under 71 in the second round.

The Gokarna Club pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti shot an even-par 72 and was in sixth place at one-under 143. Bal Bhadra Rai (73) and Jayaram Shrestha (71) were tied for the seventh at even-par 144. Rame Magar and Rajendra Thapa Magar were in a tie for ninth at one-over 145.

The cut fell at 11-over 155 with 24 pros making it to the money-making last two rounds. Rabi Khadka, Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, Tirtha Poudel, Pradeep Kumar Lama, Yalember Singh Adhikari, Krishna Man Rajbahak, Bikash Adhikari, Shiva Ram Poudel, Bishnu Prasad Sharma, Ram Krishna Shrestha, Prabhat Kumar Rajbahak, Bhu Bahadur Gurung, Dhruba KC, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and Sachin Bhattarai made the cut.

In amateur category, Vijay Einhaus Shrestha was in a distant second, 10 shots adrift of leader Sukra Bahadur Rai. Tanka Bahadur Karki was in third at 150. Shiva Kumar Majhi, Bipin Tamang and Tejendra Thapa Magar were the amateurs to make the cut.

Second at the end of the first round, Shrestha shot four-under 32 in the first nine and three-under 33 in the second nine holes on Tuesday to grasp the lead. Shrestha’s front nine card included birdies on the first, second, third, fourth and seventh holes against a bogey on the seventh. His back nine card included birdies on the 10th and 14th, eagle on the 12th and a bogey on the 15th hole.

Sharma shot three-under 33 on the front nine and four-under 32 on the back nine. Sharma sank birdies on the first, fourth, seventh and ninth holes against a bogey on the third. On the back nine, he earned shots on the 10th, 11th, 12th, 15th and 16th holes against a lone bogey on the 14th.

Lama carded two-over 38 on the front nine and four-under 32 on the back nine. Lama dropped shots on the first, sixth and eighth holes against a birdie on the seventh hole. His back nine card included birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes against a bogey on the 14th.

In all, 48 players—36 pros and 12 amateurs—took part in the tournament organised by Nepal Professional Golfers Association. The lucrative event, introduced for the first time this season, offers Rs 1.2 million in prize money with the eventual champion getting richer by Rs 220,000. The first runner-up will receive Rs 134,000 and the second runner-up will take home Rs 90,000. All the other pros to make the cut for the final two rounds are assured of their share of cash rewards.