Shivaram Shrestha opened a three-stroke lead after the second round of Pilot Golfers NPGA Classic at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Shrestha, who had shared the first-round lead with Sukra Bahadur Rai at five-under 67, carded four-under 64 on the second day for a two-day total of nine-under 131. Rai recorded one-under 67 to finish three shots behind the leader at six-under 134.

Amateur Subash Tamang played a round of two-under 66 for a total of four-under 136 in the fourth event under Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2019-20,

Nepal No. 1 Bhuwan Nagarkoti and Dinesh Prajapati share the fourth position at three-under 137. The duo carded one-under 67. Three pros — Bal Bhadra Rai, Rabi Khadka and Rame Magar are jointly in the sixth position at two-under 138. Rai carded two-under 66, Khadka even-par 68 and Magar one-over 69.

Thirty-one players, including six amateurs, made it to the final rounds after the cut was applied at 13-over.

Leader Shrestha carded three-under 31 on the front nine with consecutive birdies on the fourth and fifth. He fired four more birdies on return, including back to back on 10th and 11th holes. But a bogey on the 12th and a double bogey on the 14th holes blotted his card.

Second-placed Rai played one-under 33 on the front nine and an even-par 34 on the back. He opened his campaign for the day with a birdie and completed the rest on par for the turn. On the back nine, Sukra carded a birdie on the 13th hole but dropped a shot on the 14th.

In the amateur section, Suresh Tamang and Jitendra Rai closed the day at 157, 21 shots behind leader Subash Tamang. Subash, the gold medalist at the 13th South Asian Games, completed the front nine at one-over 35 and the back nine at three-under 31. He bogeyed on the sixth hole before taking the turn. On the back nine, he carded birdies on the 13th, 14th and 17th holes.