Ahmed, Zubair set for exciting finale in RDH Memorial Golf

KARACHI: The 13th Rashid D. Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament has seemingly become a two-horse race with title favourite Ahmed Baig taking a two-shot lead at the penultimate stage of the event here at the Karachi Golf Club on Saturday.

The only man who seems to have any hopes of stopping Ahmed from winning the lucrative title is KGC’s rising star Muhammad Zubair, who matched Ahmed’s exploits on Saturday to stay in the hunt with a stunning round of five-under-par 67 in the third round.

Ahmed, too, carded a similar score on Saturday but enjoys a two-shot lead over Zubair going into Sunday’s final round. His 54-hole aggregate is 204 (-10). Zubair is at the second spot with 206 (-8) while the Dilshad Ali is in third place at 212 (-2), eight shots behind leader Ahmed and six behind Zubair.

The way both Ahmed and Zubair have played in the tournament so far it seems that Sunday’s round will be a contest for top honours between them.

Dilshad Ali carded 70 in the third round and is followed by the duo of Muhammad Munir and Muhammad Alam at 213.

Defending champion Waheed Baloch all but fell out of the race for the title after carding 73. He is in sixth place at 214

Pakistan No.1 Shabbir Iqbal, who has been out of sorts in this contest because of fitness problems, finally carded an impressive round of 70 and is tied for the 7th place with Lahore’s Matloob Ahmed.

In the senior professionals category, Nisar Hussain and Abdul Hameed were tied for the leading after both carded 69. In the junior professionals category, Muhammad Sahil took a three-shot lead after carding 75, The four-day tournament concludes on Sunday.