Amateur golfer Sadbhav moves to top

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 6: Amateur golfer and defending champion Sadbhav Acharya moved to the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the Surya Nepal Challenge at the par-68 Royal Nepal Golf Club on Tuesday.

Sadbhav carded 1-under 67 in the second round for 36-hole total of 3-under 133. He is one stroke ahead of pro Dhana Bahadur Thapa, who carded second straight 1-under 67 for total score of 2-under 134. Rabi Khadka and Rame Magar share third position at 1-under 135. Rabi carded 2-under 66 and overnight leader Rame played 2-over 70.

Dinesh Prajapati is fifth at even-par 136 after he carded 2-under 66. Jayram Shrestha and Bhuvan Nagarkoti share the sixth position at 2-over 138. Jayram carded 1-under 67 and Bhuvan played 3-over 71. Three pros, Sanjay Lama, Deepak Magar and Surya Prasad Sharma are tied for eighth at 139. Sanjay produced the best card of the day with 3-under 65, Deepak played even-par 68 and Surya played 1-over 69.

Cut was applied at 19-over 155 with 21 pros and three amateurs making it to the final two rounds. Krishna Man Rajbahak, Ram Krishna Shrestha, Ramesh Adhikari, Bishnu Prasad Sharma, Pradip Kumar Lama, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka, Basanta Raj Gurung, Pashupati Sharma, Dhruba KC, Kishan Kaliraj Sunar and Bikash Adhikari survived the cut.

Ram Krishna Shrestha, who had a Hole-in-One on Hole No 3, carded even-par 68. Toran Bikram Shahi pulled out of the tournament before the start of the second round due 

to personal reasons.

In amateur section, Tashi Tsering and Rahul BK joined Sadbhav for the final two rounds. Both Tashi and Rahul played 3-over 71 in the second round for 36-hole total of 6-over 142.They are nine strokes behind leader Sadbhav.