The 2nd Quaid-e-Azam Open Golf Championship endorsed by Shezan International moves into top gear from Friday, 11th January, when the top professionals and leading amateur golf players enter the field for a fling at the titles at stake.
As for the first round on Thursday, this was devoted to competitions for categories like senior professionals and senior amateurs. And in the senior professionals category,31 senior professionals took part and included many champions of past decades and the names are Ghulam Nabi(PIA),a hero of the eighties and nineties, his contemporaries, Manzoor Ahmed and Asgher Ali of Punjab Police, Akber Ali(Gymkhana) and Mahmood Kayani(Islamabad).The 18 holes competition allotted to the senior professionals category, however did not entirely move the way of the former champions; infact it was Shoukat Ali of Gymkhana, not a former title holder who came up with total excellence to win the first prize with a round of three under par gross 69.Ghulam Nabi secured the 2nd position for himself with a score of gross 71.Also at score of 71 are Manzoor Ahmed and Asgher Ali. Abdul Hameed a former Pakistan Open Champion scored 73, with Mehmood Kayani and Akber Ali both at 74.
The contest for senior amateurs was fought out amongst players like Asif Mehdi, Javed Khan, Shafiq Bhatti, A.Qayum Rashid, Asad Niaz, Col (r) M.Shafi, Brig (r) Anwarul Haq, Dr. Tariq Malik, Abdul Nafay and Omer Farooq, besides many other participating seniors who somehow could not produce their best. It was Asif Mehdi, however, who demonstrated enviable application of playing skills to emerge as the top one amongst the senior amateurs category. His score of gross 74 was the result of four birdies, nine pars, four bogies and one double bogie and fetched him the first gross prize. His nearest competitor was Javed Khan who played equally well but was let down by two closing bogies on the 17th and 18th holes and as a result lost the first slot by a stroke. He had a round of gross 75 as against 74 by Asif Mehdi.
The next best senior was Shafiq Bhatti with a round of gross 76,followed by Qayum Rashid at 77,Asad Niaz at 81 and Col (r) Shafi at 81.
Professional stars of the Shezan backed prestigious championship will tee off early in the morning at 7am and the super stars like Shabbir Iqbal, M.Munir and Matloob Ahmed have scores to settle amongst themselves on the competitive front. During the practice noticeable was the rhythm and style in their hitting and hopefully they will prove fierce competitors as the championship activates. As for the other mentionable ones Shahid Javed and Shafiq Masih are the capable ones loaded with talent and expertise and seek establishment of their status as champions of merit.
