Shiva Ram Shrestha carded four-under 68 to open up an eight-stroke lead atop the leader-board after the third round of the Surya Nepal Central Open at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Wednesday.

The Nepal No. 2 pro carded two-under 34 at either half for a 54-hole total of 10-under 206. Rabi Khadka, who carded three-under 69, is behind Shrestha for a total of two-under 214. Rame Magar is in third place with a total score of two-over 218. He carded one-over 73.

Bhuwan Nagarkoti and Sukra Bahadur Rai are tied at fourth place with three-over 219 after playing an identical round of three-over 75 today. Deepak Thapa Magar and Sanjay Lama are at four-over 220 after both of them played three-over 75.

Subash Tamang, who leads the amateur category, is five-over 221 along with Dhan Bahadur Thapa. The duo played one-over 73.

Leader Shrestha birdied on the first, third and seventh hole against a bogey on the par-four sixth hole. On the back nine, he birdied on the 12th and 15th hole and saved pars on other holes.

Khadka played one-under 35 at the front nine. He opened the day with a bogey on the first hole but sank an eagle on the third. He again bogeyed on the eight before saving a shot at the following hole. On the back nine, he dropped a shot on the 11th hole but earned birdies on 12th, 16th and 17th holes for a two-under 34.

The final 18 holes of the event of the first event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2019-20 season will be played on Thursday. The event offers a purse of Rs 700,000 in total. The winner will walk home with Rs 125,000, while the runner-up will earn Rs 80,000 and the third-placed pro will receive Rs 58,000.