Niraj Tamang maintained lead after the second round of the Surya Nepal Western Open, the fourth event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2024-25, at the par-69 Himalayan Golf Course in Pokhara on Thursday.

Tamang carded 1-under 68 for a 36-hole total score of 5-under 133. He is one stroke ahead of Bhuwan Kumar Rokka going into the third and final round. Rokka carded second straight 2-under 67 to stay in second position with a total score of 4-under 134.

Dhana Bahadur Thapa and Sanjay Lama are tied in third position at even-par 138. Both pros played 1-over 70 in the third round.

Amateur Sundar Rai and Jayram Shrestha share fifth place at 2-over 140. Amateur Rai carded 1-over 70 and Shrestha played 2-over 71.

Three pros Krishna Man Rajbahak, Bishnu Prasad Sharma and Rame Magar are tied at seventh at 4-over 142.

Rajbahak carded 1-under 68, Sharma played 2-over 71, and Magar shot 4-over 73.

Former top pro Rabi Khadka is 10th at 5-over 143 after he carded 1-under 68.

The cut was applied at 15-over 153, with 21 pros and six amateurs making it to the final round.

Defending champion and Nepal number one pro Bhuvan Nagarkoti, Toran Bikram Shahi, Pradip Kumar Lama, Surya Prasad Sharma, Bhu Bahadur Gurung, Bal Bhadra Rai, Yuvaraj Bhujel, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Deepak Magar, Dinesh Prajapati, Dal Bahadur Lama and Kishan Kaliraj Sunar are other pros who made the cut.

In the amateur section, Sundar Rai, who is tied for fifth overall, is six strokes ahead of Suman Pariyar.

Pariyar carded 1-under 68 for a total of 8-over 146.

Suresh Tamang, Prajwal Gurung, Sansar BK and Jiwaram Gurung are other amateurs who survived the pro cut.

Leader Tamang carded 1-under 33 on the front nine and played even-par 35 on the back nine. He dropped a shot on the seventh hole against birdies on the fourth and eighth holes. After taking the turn, he carded a birdie on the 10th hole but suffered a triple bogey on the par-4 14th hole. Tamang recovered with birdies on the last two holes.

Rokka took the turn at even-par 34 after he saved pars on all nine holes. He carded 1-under 33 on the back nine that included four birdies on the 11th, 15th, 16th and 17th holes, and he faced a double bogey on the 14th hole.

Thapa carded 1-under 33 on the front nine and played 2-over 37 on the back nine.

Lama took the turn at 1-over 35 and carded even-par 35 on the back nine.

A total of 52 golfers—34 pros and 18 amateurs—are taking part in the 54-hole tournament.

This year, the prize purse for the event has been raised to Rs882,000, out of which the winner will receive a cheque of Rs150,000, runner-up will get Rs100,000, and third-placed golfer will take home Rs72,000. Others in the top 21 will also receive their share of cash prizes.