Kathmandu: Sukra Bahadur Rai and Bhuvan Nagarkoti shared the lead after the second round of the Surya Nepal Challenge, the seventh event under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2025-26, at the Royal Nepal Golf Club on Wednesday.

Former Nepal No. 1 professionals Sukra and Bhuvan carded matching 6-under 62s to move to the top of the leaderboard with a 36-hole total of 8-under 128.

Dhana Bahadur Thapa produced the best card of the day with a bogey-free 7-under 61 to climb to third place at 5-under 131.

Rame Magar, Bhuwan Kumar Rokka and overnight leader Dinesh Prajapati shared fourth position at 3-under 133. Rame carded even-par 68, Bhuwan played 1-over 69, while Dinesh shot 3-over 71 in the second round.

Veteran pro Deepak Magar stood seventh at 2-under 134 after posting his second straight 1-under 67. Reigning Nepal No. 1 professional Niraj Tamang climbed to eighth at 1-under 135 after carding 4-under 64.

Similarly, Rabi Khadka and Sanjay Lama were tied for ninth at even-par 136. Rabi carded 3-under 65, while Sanjay slipped to 3-over 71.

The cut was applied at 8-over 144, with 18 professionals and four amateurs advancing to the final two rounds. Pradip Kumar Lama, Tanka Bahadur Karki, Sunil KC, Ramesh Adhikari, Bikash Bogati, Jayram Shrestha, Sanjeev Bahadur Nepali and Sundar Rai were among the other professionals to survive the cut.

In the amateur section, national team member Rahul Bishwakarma moved to the top with a 36-hole total of 2-under 134 after carding 2-under 66 in the second round. He took a one-shot lead over Swapnil Bhattarai, who played 3-over 75 after leading overnight.

Kabi Thapa was third at 5-over 141 following a round of 3-over 71, while Balaram Poudel stood fourth at 143 after carding 76.

Co-leader Sukra carded 1-under 33 on the front nine before firing a bogey-free 5-under 29 on the back nine. After an opening bogey on the first hole, he recovered with birdies on the sixth and eighth holes. He added further birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th and 18th holes.

Bhuvan, meanwhile, carded 3-under 31 on both halves in a flawless bogey-free round. He made birdies on the first, fourth, ninth, 12th, 14th and 17th holes.

Third-placed Dhana also enjoyed a bogey-free day, recording seven birdies on the first, third, sixth, 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th holes.

A total of 52 golfers (39 professionals and 13 amateurs) are participating in the 72-hole tournament organized by PGA Nepal under the sponsorship of Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd..

The tournament carries a total cash purse of Rs. 710,000. The winner will receive Rs. 130,000, while the runner-up and third-place finisher will earn Rs. 90,000 and Rs. 70,000 respectively. The fourth and fifth positions will receive Rs. 55,000 and Rs. 46,000 respectively, with cash prizes awarded to all professionals finishing within the top 18 positions.

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