Amateur golfer Tanka Karki opened up a two-stroke lead over Nepal No 1 pro Shivaram Shrestha after the second round of the Surya Nepal Eastern Open at the Nirvana Country Club in Dharan on Thursday.

Starting the day at four-under 66 with co-leader Shivaram, Karki carded three-under 67 for a total seven-under 133 on Thursday. The top-ranked Shivaram shot one-under 69 for a total card of five-under 135 and was joined in the second position by another amateur golfer Sukra Bahadur Rai. Rai followed the first round card of two-under 68 on Wednesday by even better score of three-under 67 on Thursday.

Sanjay Lama was in fourth after carding even-par 70 for a three-under 137. Bhuwan Nagarkoti (66) and Shiva Kumar Majhi (68) were tied for fifth at one-under 139. Amateur Niraj Tamang (67) and pro Bal Bhadra Rai (70) shared the seventh spot at even-par 140. Jayaram Shrestha (73) and Deepak Magar (70) were joint ninth at one-over 141.

Karki shot two-under 34 on the front nine with birdies on the second and third hole before sinking an eagle on the par-4 fifth. Karki then dropped shots on the eighth and ninth holes. On the back nine, Karki sank birdies on the 12th and 17th against a bogey on 15th.

Shivaram made double bogey on the first hole but recovered with an eagle on second. He sank a birdie on the sixth but again dropped a shot on the ninth for even-par 36. On the back nine, Shivaram sank birdies on the 10th, 12th and 17th against bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes.

Rai shot three-under 33 on the front nine with birdies on the second, sixth, seventh and ninth against a bogey on the fourth. On the back nine, Rai made birdies on the 10th, 12th and 18th against bogeys on the 13th, 15th and 17th for an even-par 34. Nagarkoti shot three-under 33 on the front nine with birdies on the second, fifth, eighth and ninth against a bogey on the first. On the back nine, Nagarkoti carded one-under 33 with a birdie on the final hole.

The cut fell at seven-over 147 and 27 golfers survived for the third and final day including six amateurs.