Ashiq crowned National Amateur champion

KARACHI: Waseem Rana began the final round of the 56th National Amateur Golf Championship of Pakistan here at the DACGC on Sunday with a seemingly commanding four-shot lead.

With such a substantial advantage, the seasoned Rana was seen as the firm favourite to win the coveted crown ahead of fellow Karachi players Saim Shazli and Zobaib Asif.But in sport and particularly in golf, you can never take anything for granted.

Rana’s game which had been steadier than the others for three days in a row fell apart on the fabled eighth hole of the DACGC course.For those who aren’t aware of the DACGC course’s layout, the par-five eighth hole is the signature hole of the Club. With its long yardage, the windy hole is surrounded by water and hence is dreaded by most golfers especially when hitting from the tee and later when approaching the island green. It can be the graveyard of potential champions.

Rana plays at the DACGC course almost on a daily basis. Many believed, at least till this afternoon, that Rana had mastered the eighth hole as he routinely makes birdies on it.But with the title in sight, Rana hit his tee shot in the water. He saw three more of his shots taking a dip and in the end he finished the hole with a disastrous 13. His title hopes just sank there. In the end he finished sixth.

Saim and Zohaib, the other two local favourites, suffered similar fate. Zohaib, who was also on the leader flight with Rana had a nine on the eighth hole. He finished third.Saim was leading till the ninth hole after an excellent front nine. But he succumbed to pressure on the back nine with two double bogies and four bogies finishing fifth.

With the top three title contenders imploding, Ashiq Hussain gave his best when it mattered most to win the national championship by four shots. Peshawar’s Taimur Khan finished as the runner-up in the championship sponsored by JS Bank.

In the ladies event, Karachi youngster Aania Farooq won the national title ahead of the more experienced Ghazala Yasmin.

Brig Nayyar Afzal, Secretary Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF), won the seniors’ crown and was selected in the Pakistan team for the Asia Pacific Seniors Championship to be held in Australia in October. The other five players selected in the national senior team were Lt Col Raja Asif, Lt Col Waqar Ahmed, Col Shahid Imtiaz, Lt Col Zahid Iqbal and Omar Khan Bangash.

Sindh Team won the Inter-Provincial Team Championship quite convincingly. The winning team included Waseem Rana, Zohaib Asif, Saim Shazli and Mansoor Teli while Ali Pervez was the captain.Pakistan won the Jayawardene Trophy as well as the International Team Trophy.

Major Gen Muhammad Saeed, Director General of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), was the chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony. Also present at the occasion were Brig Shahid Hasan Ali, Administrator DHA Karachi, Brig Nayyar Azfal, Secretary PGF, Brig Tariq Rafique, Secretary DACGC and Asad I.A Khan, President Sindh Golf Association (SGA).