Amateur Subash Tamang started the Surya Nepal Western Open with a two-stroke lead at par-68 Himalayan Golf Course that kicked off on Wednesday.

The 13th South Asian Games twin gold medalist Tamang carded two-under 66 to wrap up the first round two shots ahead of pro Jayram Shrestha who played even-par 68.

Amateur Ajit BK and pro Ramesh Adhikari are jointly in third place at one-over 69. Rame Magar was fifth at two-over 70. Pros Dinesh Prajapati, Niraj Tamang and Dhana Bahadur Thapa shared the sixth position at three-over 71.

Nepal No 1 pro Bhuwan Nagarkoti, who played a hole-in-one in the seventh hole, and Rabi Khadka are jointly ninth at four-over 72. Sanjay Lama was 11th at 73 while Dal Bahadur Lama, Bal Bhadra Rai, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and amateur Suresh Tamang shared the 12th position at six-over 74.

Leader Tamang played a card of one-under 32 in the front nine and one-under 34 in the back nine. The 20-year-old carded birdies on the third, fifth and sixth holes but succumbed to a double bogey on the ninth hole. In the back nine, he dropped a shot in the 10th hole and carded birdies in the 13th and 16th holes.

Pro Shrestha played one-over 34 in the front nine and one-under 34 in the back nine. He dropped shots in the fourth and ninth holes against a birdie in the sixth hole before. In the back nine, he carded birdies in the 10th and 18th holes but dropped a shot in the 11th hole.

Nepal No 1 pro Nagarkoti aced the par-3 seventh holes but he shot two-over 35 on the front nine and finished the back nine at two-over 37.

The 54-hole tournament, the fifth event under Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2021-2022, carries a cash prize of Rs775,000.