Rame Magar closed in on Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open golf tournament victory after the RNGC pro extended his lead to six strokes here at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) on Thursday.

Magar, who has been on top of the leaderboard from the first round, carded one-under 67 in the third round on Thursday for a total of five-under 199. Only a final round collapse can deprive Magar from lifting the title. He is six strokes ahead of Nepal No 1 Shivaram Shrestha and Bhuwan Nagarkoti. Shrestha carded two-under 66 and Bhuwan one-under 67 for a total of one-over 205.

Surya Prasad Sharma shot four-over 72 for a total of two-over 206 and occupy the fourth place. Sanjay Lama, Dhana Bahadur Thapa and Bhuwan Kumar Rokka were tied for fifth at three-over 207. Lama carded one-over 69, Thapa one-under 67 and Rokka four-under 64. Bikash Adhikari was in eighth place with the total score of seven-over 211 after carding three-over 71 on Thursday. Krishna Man Rajbahak and Rabi Khadka were tied for ninth with the total of eight-over 212. Rajbahak shot four-over 72 and Thapa two-over 70.

Magar carded even-par on the front nine with birdies on first and fourth holes against bogeys on third and sixth holes. On the back nine Magar sank birdies on 11th and 13th holes against a bogey on the 16th for one-under 33. Top-ranked Shrestha carded one-over 35 in his first nine with birdies on first and fourth holes against bogeys on third, seventh and eighth holes. In the second nine holes, Shrestha sank birdies on 10th,13th and 15th holes for a three-under 33.

Nagarkoti shot two-over 36 on the front nine holes with bogeys on the fifth and sixth, while sinking birdies on 10th, 11th and 18th for three-under 33 on the back nine. Sharma carded one-over 35 on the front nine and three-over 37 on the back nine. Rokka shot one-over 35 on the front nine and made dramatic improvement on the back nine with five-under 29 including a hole-in-one on the 12th. Lama carded three-over 37 on the front nine and two-under 32 on the back nine. 

Phuntsok N Lama lead the amateur category with the total card of 13-over 217 after shooting one-over 69 on Thursday. Sukra Bahadur Rai (73) is at 15-over 219, and Tanka Bahadur Karki (73) at 17-over 219. In all 22 pros and six amateur made the cut for the final two rounds from the 4o-men field for the first two rounds. 

The tournament carries a cash purse of Rs 500,000. The eventual champion will receive Rs 85,000, the runner-up will get Rs 58,000 and the third-place golfer will take home Rs 45,000. Other pros to make the cut are also assured of their share of cash rewards in the tournament that offers Rs 500,000 as cash prizes.