LAHORE – The three-day 1st Sprite Golf Tournament commenced here at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course with events for ladies, veterans (above 70 years of age), seniors (above 55 years of age), amateurs, ball boys and caddies. Of special significance is the competitive event for ball boys and caddies who earn their living from serving the golfers.
Thanks to Sprite and Javed A Khan, they have now been afforded an opportunity to show their golfing skills. Out of 59 caddy competitors, ten were simply remarkable, managing to make a mark as golfers of talent, a fact which will open the door for them to enter the arena of professional golf.
The top performer among the caddy participants was Shehzad Bablu – still in his teens and with no formal coaching – who succeeded in exhibiting massive drives on all par fours and fives and in the nine holes outing, birdieing the par 4, 10th, the par 5, 16th and the following par 5, 17th. His overall score of gross 36, one under par 36 for the back nine, looked highly impressive, particularly when viewed in the light of the fact that this was his first competitive outing.
Other caddies who appeared among the top ten performers were Ilyas Judge (38 gross), Tikka Ijaz (38), John Binyamin (39), Samsung (39), Kamran (39), Ahmed Bubby (40), Haroon Saleem (40), John Nathenial (40) and Tariq Taj (41). The ladies, veterans and seniors also contested on Saturday, but at the time of filing this report some results were still awaited.
Amateurs enter the Sprite Competition on Sunday and as many as 92 golfers will be teeing off early, aspiring to win honors and the attractive prizes. Danyaal Jehangir (handicap one) will hope to edge past other notable competitors like Imran Ahmed, a seasoned three handicapper, Mohsen Zafar, Wazir Ali, both four handicappers and of course the capable five handicappers Shafiq Bhatti, Salman Jehangir, Omer Azim, Amir Mehmood, Mohsin anwer, Shakeel Ahmed and Sardar Murad.
The Convenor Golf Ahsan Saeed Mian is also contesting.
