Sanjay Lama maintained a one-stroke lead going into the third and final round of the Surya Nepal Western Open here at the Himalayan Golf Course on Thursday.

Lama followed his first round card of two-under 67 with even par 69 in the second round for a total score of two-under 136. The Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) pro bounced back into title contention after shooting a scintillating four-under 65 for a total card of one-under 137. Khadka was the only one to return with the under par card on the second day. Lama was the only one in the previous round to  return with an under par card.

Top ranked Shivaram Shrestha, who was two strokes behind overnight leader Lama at the end of the first round, fell to third after carding two-over 71 for a total of two-over 140. Jayaram Shrestha and amateur golfer Sukra Bahadur Rai were at three-over 141. Jayaram and Rai both shot two-over 71 on Thursday. Dhana Bahadur Thapa, Surya Prasad Sharma, and another amateur golfer Ajit BK were at four-over 142. Thapa and Sharma carded even-par 69 and BK shot one-over 70. Kamal Tamang and amateur Tanka Bahadur Karki were tied at five-over 143. Tamang carded two-over 71 and Karki even-par 69. Krishna Man Rajbahak, amateurs Subash Tamang and Rahul BK were tied at seven-over 145. Subash carded two-over 71, Rajbahak shot three-over 72 and Rahul scored four-over 73.

Lama carded one-under 34 on the front nine and one-over 35 on the back nine. Lama sank birdies on first and ninth holes against a bogey on the second in his first nine homes. On his way back, Lama earned shots on the 14th and 15th but his card was upset by a double bogey on the 11th and a bogey on the 18th hole.

Khadka carded two-under 33 on the front nine and another two-under 32 on the back nine holes. Khadka sank birdies on the fifth, ninth, 13th and 14th holes in a flawless display of golf. Nepal No 1 Shrestha shot two-over 37 on the front nine but recovered to even-par 34. Shrestha started off with a double-bogey start on the first, birdied the third but dropped another shot on the ninth hole. On the eventful back nine, Shrestha sank birdies on the 12th, 13th and 15th against bogeys on the 10th, 16th and 17th holes.

Rai made pars on all nine holes on front nine. On the back nine, he carded two-over 36 with bogeys on 12th and 16th. Jayaram carded two-over 37 on the front nine and even-par 34 on the back nine holes. Cut fell at 15-over 153 and 28 golfers survived the cut including seven amateurs. In all, 57 golfers—33 pros and 24 amateurs—played the first two rounds in the fifth event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2018-19.