KATHMANDU, May 24: The defending champion Shivaram Shrestha and Bhuwan Nagarkoti shared the lead after the third round of the Surya Nepal Premier Golf Championship at the par-72 Gokarna Golf Club on Wednesday.

They posted 11-under 205 after the completion of 54 holes of the 10th and the final event of the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2017-18. 

Nepal Number one pro Shrestha carded four-under 68, while home club pro Nagarkoti fired a bogey-free eight-under 64.

Nagarkoti’s previous personal best round was seven-under 61 at the Ghana Shyam’s Professional Golden Jubilee Golf Championship at the Royal Nepal Golf Club in October last year.

The eight-under 64 is also the best performance for Nagarkoti at his home club, eclipsing the previous best of five-under 67 in the Surya Nepal Challenge in November.

Toran Bikram Shahi is third at five-under 211 after he carded two-under 70, while Krishna Man Rajbahak (68) and Dhana Bahadur Thapa (70) shared the fourth position at three-under 213. 
Sanjay Lama (75) was sixth at 214 and Purna Prasad Sharma (68) was seventh at even-par 216.
Rabi Khadka and Jayaram Shrestha shared the eighth position at 217, while Chuda Bahadur Bhandari, Bal Bhadra Rai and Surya Prasad Sharma shared the 10th position at 218.

In amateur section, Tanka Bahadur Karmi maintained his lead despite playing three-over 75. 
Karmi posted even-par 216 and is one-stroke ahead of Sunil KC (71). Prithvi Malla shot four-over 76 and he is third at 221.

Joint leader Shrestha carded two-under 34 on both the halves. His front nine included birdies on the seventh and ninth holes. 

On the back nine, Shrestha carded a birdie on the 11th but faced a double bogey on the next hole. 
He bounced back with birdies on the 13th, 14th and 17th holes.

Nagarkoti brought the best card of the tournament so far. 

He carded five-under 31 on the front nine and added three-under 33 on the back nine. 
He carded five birdies on the first, second, fourth, eighth and ninth before taking the turn. 
Nagarkoti then carded birdies on the 11th, 12th and 17th holes.

Third-placed Shahi played one-over 37 on the front nine before carding three-under 33 on the back nine. He began the day with a birdie but faced bogeys on the sixth and eighth holes. After taking the turn, Shahi carded birdies on the 11th, 12th and 15th holes.
 

 
• shrestha
 
• nagarkoti
 
• share
 
• lead
 
• third
 
• round