Sukra Bahadur Rai maintained the lead after the second round of the Surya Nepal Central Open at the Gokarna Golf Club in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Rai played a card of two-under 70 for the second round total of seven-under 137 to take a two-stroke lead over amateur golfer Subash Tamang. The 13th South Asian Games (SAG) gold medalist Tamang carded three-under 69 for a total score of five-under 139.

Rabi Khadka and Bhuwan Nagarkoti are tied in third place at four-under 140. Khadka carded three-under 69 while Nagarkoti played two-under 70 for the second day in a row. Rame Magar is fifth with a second day total of three-under 141 with an even-par score of 72.

Amateur Sadbhav Acharya and Niraj Tamang are jointly in sixth place with the total score of three-over 147. Acharya carded one-under 71 and Tamang scored three-over 75. Rajendra Shrestha Pradhan played four-over 76 to secure eighth position.

Pradeep Kumar Lama (72), Deepak Magar (72), Krishna Man Rajbahak (72) and Dhana Bahadur Thapa (75) are tied at ninth place at seven-over 151.

Rai carded six-under 30 in the front nine with birdies in second and third, eagle in the sixth and birdied again the seventh and eighth holes. On the back nine, he birdied in 10th hole before dropping two shots each in the 12th,16th and 17th holes. He played a birdie in the last hole for four-over 40.

Amateur Tamang played one-under 35 in the front nine that included a bogey in the second hole and birdies in eight and ninth holes. He played two-under 34 in the back nine with birdies in 10th and 13th holes, eagle in the 15th but dropped shots in 14th and 16th holes.

Altogether 23 professionals and six amateurs survived the cut applied at 12-over 156 mid-way of the tournament. A total of 39 professional golfers and 19 amateurs are taking part in the tournament that carries a purse of Rs775,000.