Dinesh Prajapati and Bhuvan Nagarkoti shared the lead after the second round of the Surya Nepal Kathmandu Open, the seventh event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2023-24, at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Wednesday.

Prajapati carded 4-under 64 on the second day, while overnight leader Nagarkoti played 1-under 67 for the 36-hole total score of 2-under 134.

Prajapati and Nagarkoti are two strokes ahead of Rabi Khadka, who carded 1-under 67 for an even-par 136 total.

Rame Magar, Niraj Tamang and Bhuwan Kumar Rokka are tied for fourth at 1-over 137.

Magar matched the best card of the day scoring 4-under 64, while Tamang and Rokka played even-par 68 each.

Jayram Shrestha and Sanjay Lama share the seventh position at 2-over 138 after both of them carded even-par 68.

Subash Tamang, who made the Surya Nepal Golf Tour debut as a professional golfer, carded 1-unde 67 and he is ninth at 3-over 139.

Purna Prasad Sharma and Dhana Bahadur Thapa are tied for 10th at 4-over 140. Both of them played 2-over 70 in the second round.

Cut was applied at 17-over 153 and 22 pros and four amateur golfers progressed to the final two rounds.

Toran Shahi, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Pradip Kumar Lama, Krishna Man Rajbahak, Tashi Ghale, Bhimsen Chaulagain, Basanta Raj Gurung, Ram Krishna Shrestha, Pashupati Sharma, Bhu Bahadur Gurung and Kishan Kaliraj Sunar made it to the money-making final 36 holes in pro section.

In the amateur section, Tashi Tsering opened up a one-stroke lead over Nepal number one amateur golfer Sadbhav Acharya.

Tsering carded 2-under 66 for a 36-hole total of 2-over 138, while Acharya carded 1-under 67 and slipped to second at 3-over 139.

National team member Rahul BK is third at 10-over 146 after he played even-par 68.

Bharat Thapa Magar also survived the pro cut and progressed to the final two rounds.

Co-leader Prajapati moved four places up to the top to join overnight leader Nagarkoti.

Prajapati carded 3-under 31 on the front nine and played 1-under 33 on the back nine. He carded four birdies on the first, fourth, sixth and seventh holes, while he faced a lone bogey on the fifth hole before taking the turn. He carded birdies on the 10th and 14th holes before dropping a shot on the 15th hole.

Former Nepal number one pro Nagarkoti carded 2-under 32 after taking the turn at even-par 34. He began the day with a birdie before facing a double bogey on the fourth hole. He carded another birdie on the sixth to take the turn at even-par 34. He then carded four birdies on the 10th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes and dropped shots on the 14th and 18th holes.

Another former top pro, Khadka carded 4-under 30 on the front nine and played 3-over 37 on the back nine. He sank two eagles on the first and fourth holes and carded a birdie on the seventh hole, while he faced a lone bogey on the third hole. On the back nine, he faced three straight bogeys on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes.

The event carries a total purse of Rs703,500. The winner will bag a cheque of Rs120,000. The runner-up will take home Rs82,000 while the third-placed golfer will earn Rs66,000. Fourth-placed and fifth-placed finishers will earn Rs55,000 and Rs43,000 respectively. Others in the top 21 will also receive their share of cash prizes.