Matloob triumphs in Sindh Open Golf

KARACHI: When Matloob Ahmed began the final round of the Jubilee General Insurance 20th Sindh Open Golf Championship on a pleasant Sunday morning here at the Arabian Sea Country Club he knew that there was no room for error.

The experienced professional from Lahore had carded 69 and 65 in the first two rounds but was still tied for the lead with Karachi M Ashfaq going into the final round. One bad hole or two would have meant disaster.

But Matloob kept his nerves when it mattered most as he shot a steady final round of two-under par 70 to win the Rs3 million championship by three strokes. His three-day aggregate was 204 (-12).

His main opponent Ashfaq couldn’t handle the pressure as he carded 73 to finish as the runner-up with an aggregate of 207 (-9).Defending Champion Shabbir Iqbal finished joint 4th, with Muhammad Munir both of whom recorded a total of 5-under 211. Shabbir carded 70 on Sunday but fell way shor of his target which was to win the coveted Sindh Open for the fourth time in a row. Ansar Mehmood was third with 8-under 208,

Kashif Masih of Lahore Garrison won the junior professional title with 2-under 144, followed by Syed Bilal Hussain of Mangla Garrison who finished 2nd with 4-over 144.

Pakistan’s amateur star Ahmed Baig won yet another major title when he clinched the amateur crown recording 2-over 218 in the 54-hole event, which ran concurrently with the professional competition.

Taimoor Khan of Peshawar took the 2nd, place in the amateur category carding 3-over 219.In the Junior Amateur category, Hamza Shikho Khan from Karachi Golf Club took the first place. Hamza carded a net aggregate of 147. Junaid Irfan of DHA was placed second while Damil Ataullah of Lahore Garrison finished third.

Muhammad Akram from Lahore Gymkhana won the senior professional title with an aggregate of 4-under 140, Imdad Hussain of Lahore Garrison shared the 2nd position with 3-under 141 with Mehmood Hussain of Islamabad.

Aania Farooq of Airmen Golf Club with a gross aggregate of 149 won the ladies event followed by Anum Zahra of DHA (190).The prize distribution ceremony was graced by Lt Gen Mian Hilal Hussain, President Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF), Asad I.A Khan, President SGA and Arif Abbasi, CEO ASCC.