Nepal number one amateur golfer Sadbhav Acharya opened up one-stroke lead over pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti after the third round of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship, the sixth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2023-24, at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Wednesday.

The national team golfer Acharya carded 2-under 70 for the 54-hole total score of 11-under 205.

Overnight joint leader Nagarkoti carded 1-under 71 and slipped to second at 10-under 206. Pro Dinesh Prajapati and amateur Vijay Shrestha Einhaus shared the third position at 3-under 213. Prajapati carded 4-under 68 and Einhaus played 1-over 73 in the third round.

Pro Niraj Tamang moved to fifth at 2-under 214 after he carded 1-under 71, while amateur Rahul Bishwakarma carded 3-under 69 to go up to seventh with the total score of 1-over 217. Amateur Tashi Tsering (71) and pro Sanjay Lama (72) shared the seventh position at 2-over 218, while Yuvaraj Bhujel and Rabi Khadka are tied for ninth at 3-over 219.

Amateur Acharya, who was tied with pro Nagarkoti after the second round, carded 2-under 34 on the front nine and played even-par 36 on the back nine. He carded birdies on the third and sixth on the bogey-free front nine. After taking the turn, he carded a birdie on the 14th hole and faced a bogey on the 17th hole.

Nagarkoti was one-stroke ahead of Acharya after carding 3-under 33 on the front nine but he faltered to 2-over 38 on the back nine. After dropping a shot on the second hole, Nagarkoti carded four birdies on the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth holes. On the back nine, he faced bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes.

Pro Prajapati carded 2-under 34 on both holes on his way to producing the best card of the day. He carded three birdies on the third, seventh and eighth holes and faced a lone bogey on the fourth hole. After taking the turn, he carded birdies on the 10th and 11th holes.

Amateur Einhaus carded even-par 36 on the front nine and played 1-over 37 on the back nine. He carded birdies on the third and seventh holes against bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes. After taking the turn, he carded three straight birdies on the 10th, 11th and 12th holes before suffering a triple bogey on the 14th hole and a bogey on the 17th hole.

A total of 44 golfers—32 pros and 12 amateurs—are taking part in the tournament that carries a cash purse of Rs840,000. The winner of the event will bag Rs140,000, the runner-up will earn Rs96,000 and the third placed pro will get Rs72,000. Other pros in top 21 will earn prize money.