KATHMANDU, July 7: Bhuwan Nagarkoti moved on top of the leaderboard of the Surya Nepal NPGA Tour Championship after third round at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Wednesday. Bhuwan carded three-under 69 in the penultimate day for the total score of four-under 212.

Bhuwan holds two-stroke lead over second placed Sanjay Lama who carded three-under 69 for the total score of two-under 214. Overnight leader Rabi Khadka dropped to third place in the scoreboard after he played a disastrous five-over 77 for a total even-par score of 216. Nepal number one pro Shiva Ram Shrestha was tied with Rabi with an even-par score of 72.

Ramesh Adhikar is tied with amateur Tashi Tsering at fifth position with two-over 218. Ramesh carded four-over 76 and Tashi, who leads the amateur section, scored two-over 74.

Jayaram Shrestha, who was on top of the leaderboard on the opening day, carded two-over 74 for a total score of four-over 220 and holds overall two-stroke lead over amateur Tanka Bahadur Karki. Tanka carded even-par score of 72.     

Bhuwan, who shot 73 and 70 on the first and second round, scored one under 35 with a birdie on seventh hole before taking a turn. In the later half, he carded birdies on the 11th, 12th and 16th holes before dropping a shot on the par-four final hole for two-under 34.

Sanjay, who played even-par 36 on the first half, earned birdies on the fourth and ninth holes against bogeys on the second and eighth holes. He finished the back nine with three-under 33 with birdies on the 11th, 12th, 16th and 18th holes against bogey on par-four 17th hole.
Third placed Rabi saved a shot on third hole against bogeys on fourth and eight holes for a total of one-over 37 in the front nine. He, however came up with disastrous performance in the later half with double bogeys on par-four 14th and 17th holes and a bogey on 15th hole against a lone birdie on 13th hole for a score of four-over 40.

Similar was the case with Shiva Ram in the back nine. He played an unforgettable quadruple-bogey on the par-five 15th hole and bogey on the sixth hole against birdies on the 10th and 11th holes for a total of three over 39. In the first nine, he birdied on the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th holes after starting with a bogey on the first hole.     

Ramesh Adhikari tied on sixth place along with amateur Tashi Tsering carded one-under 35 on the front nine and five over 35 on the back nine. Tashi played even-par 36 on the front nine and two over 38 on the back nine. He holds overall four-stroke lead over amateur Tanka Bahadur Karki. Tanka is in overall eighth position.

Jayaram Shrestha (220), Ramesh Nagarkoti (223) and Deepak Magar (225) are seventh, ninth and tenth respectively.

The cut was applied after the second round and 21 pros and six amateurs have survived the cut. The fourth and final round of the event will be held on Wednesday.

 
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