Khadka has a total of four-under 130 after the completion of second day on Wednesday. [break]Shrestha shot two-over 69 on Wednesday for a total of three-over 137. Defending champion Ramesh Nagarkoti, who played two-over 69, is third at four-over 138.
Khadka carded one-over 34 on the front nine and shot three-under 31 on the back nine. He suffered bogeys on the first, fifth and ninth holes against birdies on the second and fourth holes. On the back nine, Rabi carded birdies on the 13th, 14th, 15th and 18th against a single bogey on the 12th hole.
Shrestha, who began the second round with three straight bogeys and added another on the eighth hole, carded birdies on the fifth and sixth holes to take the turn at two-over 35. He shot birdies on the 11th, 13th and 15th holes against bogeys on the 12th, 14th and 16th holes to finish the back nine at even-par 34.
The 54-hole tournament is the fifth under the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2012-13 and is sponsored by Nepal Professional Golfers Association (NPGA) President Rabindra Man Shrestha. The top three pros will receive Rs 55,000, Rs 38,000 and Rs 28,000 respectively.
Cut was applied at 19-over 154 after the second round with 21 pros and five amateurs making it to the final round.
Other pros who made the cut for the final round are Ram Thapa, Deepak Thapa Magar, Sanjay Lama, Jay Ram Shrestha, Yelambar Singh Adhikari, Sabin Sapkota, Umesh Nagarkoti, Surya Prasad Sharama, Dhana Thapa, CB Bhandari, Ramesh Adhikari, Mani Rai, Sachin Bhattarai, Deepak Neupane, Gorkha Lama, Prabhat K Rajbahak and Sunil Mizar.
Five amateurs also made the pro cut and qualified for the final round. Bishnu Sharma is atop at 142 after he played six-over 73, while No 1 Bikash Bogati (72) is two strokes behind at 144. Other amateurs who made the cut for the final round are Dinesh Prajapati, Tirtha Poudel and Tanka B Karki.
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