KARACHI: Aania Farooq and Omar Khalid won the ladies and juniors titles respectively as the 10th edition of Chevron DHA Karachi Cup All Pakistan Open Golf Championship teed off here at the picture-perfect course of the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club (DACGC) on Thursday.
On an extremely windy day when participating golfers faced a really tough challenge, Aania carded 78 (gross) to win the ladies event by six strokes. The experienced Humera Khalid was runner-up with 84.
In the juniors’ category, 14-year-old Omar Khalid won the title by carding 79 (gross). Omar, a grade 9 student of Froebel Educations Centre, won the event by eight strokes ahead of Hamza Gheewala who was runner-up with 87. Omar struggled on the front nine carding 42 but made up for it with a superb 37 on the back nine which included back-to-back birdies on holes 2 and 3.
Syed Navaid Ali reigned supreme in the seniors’ category with a gross score of 80 while Azhar Abbas (82) was the runner-up.Col Shahid Mehboob (39) prevailed in the veterans’ category while Asghar Ali Khan (43) was the runner-up. The masters’ event was also played over nine holes in which Abdullah Badar (40) won the title ahead of Sameer Saeed (41).
Earlier, the four-day championship was inaugurated by Brig Ibrar Hussain Bhatti, Administrator DHA Karachi. Also present at the occasion was Brig Qasim Changazi, Secretary DACGC.
The main event of the championship – the three-day professionals’ tournament – will tee off on Friday. Pakistan’s top players have confirmed their participation in the prestigious tournament which will carry at stake a prize purse of Rs 2 million.
Lahore’s Matloob Ahmed, who has been in prolific form, will be looking to defend his title in the prestigious event.
Top professionals and amateurs from all over the country will be part of the stellar cast of the tournament sponsored by Chevron Pakistan Lubricants (Private) Limited, a manufacturer and distributor of premium lubricants in the country.