The 37th Punjab Open Golf Championship continues to create some very delightful news as the Championship progresses at the flawless and impeccable golfing arena of Pakistan, the Defence Raya Golf Course. Latest news is that the Ladies event has concluded and a very talented young one, Parkha Ijaz of Defence Raya has surfaced on the ladies golfing scene of the country as the new Punjab Ladies Champion for 2018. And this success was achieved through excellence in shot making and accuracy loaded application of golfing skills which gave her a two rounds aggregate score of (72+72) 144, level par. Over the past three decades, this kind of performance is a glitter of light for lady golfers. Hopefully she can be trained and groomed further to perform at the international level. Another notable one is the petite Humna Amjad of Kamra Golf Club. This teenager had rounds of 86 on the first day and then a very impressive 74 on the second day giving her a total aggregate of 159, and this effort fetched her the runners up position. Third gross went to Ghazala Yasmin and her score score also was 159 but she had to concede the runners up slot to Humna, as she had a better score in the second round.
As for the mens events, the professional golfers became a part of the Punjab Open Golf Championship from yesterday. They will be competing over the next two days also and after the first 18 holes contested on Friday, the efforts of the top ones can only be described as sparkling. The highly rated one, M.Shabbir of Islamabad Golf Club and an equally capable Matloob Ahmed of Garrison Golf Club and slightly less established one, Ashafaq Ahmed of Airmen Golf Club were able to sparkle and appear much above the over 97 other fierce contesting ones. For Shabbir, the overwhelming round of six under par 66 was usual stuff, but for Matloob the score of 69 was a little less excellent in his own evaluation and could have been far better had it not been for two vital putts which he missed, otherwise he could have matched scores with Shabbir. And as for Ashfaq the days effort was heartening and the round was a dream come true. Shabbir said “I had a great day” “and just loved the playing conditions at the golf course.”
For those with interest in statistical details, M.Shabbir birdied eight holes (2nd, 8th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th) and bogied just two (4th and 10th)). Teeing off on the back nine, he completed this half in 32 and on the front nine he carded a nice looking 34. As compared to Shabbir, M.Matloob birdied six holes (1, 5, 9, 12, 16 and 18)) and bogied three (the 7th 11th and 14th). Ashfaq had five birdies on holes 2, 10, 11, 12 and 16 and bogies on holes 6 and 14.
Some more strong contenders who surfaced as the perfect ones are Mohammad Munir (Islamabad), and Anser Mehmood (Mangla) bracketed at a score of gross 70, two under par. M.Munir had a bogie free round and the strategy he adopted was, “Play regulation golf”.
The hole in one car offered by Honda has still not been won.
Amateur players were still in the process of completing their rounds at the time of filing this report.
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