Shabbir clinches RMI golf crown

PESHAWAR: International golfer Muhammad Shabbir Iqbal clinched the trophy of the 3rd RMI Open Golf Championship at the PAF Golf Course here Sunday.

Shabbir Iqbal broke the record made by leading professional Imdad Hussain back in 1997 in the Frontier Open Golf Championship by scoring 18 under 198 over 54-holes.

In-form Shabbir added 64 on the third and last day to his overnight score 66, 67 and won the championship.“It is an honor. I like to play in PAF Golf Course. Breaking a previous record is a big achievement and that too on this golf course I am associated with for quite a long time,” Shabbir said.

“My putting was better in this Championship as compared to Sindh Open concluded recently where I lost to Matloob Ahmad while I succeeded in hitting all regulations which eased my job to go for birdie-putt,” he added.

He also lauded the efforts of organisers for organising the championship, saying such events would help promote the sports and attract more youth to golf in futureShabbir Iqbal carded three under 33 at front nine and five under 31 at back nine with birdies at 1, 6, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17.

Matloob Ahmad from Lahore Gymkhana added five under 67 to his overnight 69 and 68 to make an aggregated total 12 under 204 and placed second.Muhammad Ashfaq, who was a stroke behind the leader Shabbir Iqbal on the second day, slipped to third position with his gross score nine under 207. Ashfaq added one over par 73 to his overnight 70 and 64 with only two birdies and three bogeys.

In the Amateur 12 and below Zubair Hussain carded 221 by taking first position, followed by Ghazanfar with 223 score and Taimur Khan with 224 score while in the Net Abdul Qayyum Bokhari carded 212 and got first position, followed by Hamza Khan with 214 and Khushal Khan with 217 over 54 holes.

Bilal Khan won first position with gross 151 over 36 holes in junior professional category followed by Asad Khan and Syed Bilal Hussain. In 13-18 HCP Shanan Khan won first position, Zahid Shafiq came 2nd and Wing Commander Jawad Ali Raja 3rd. In the Net Azmat got first position, followed by Yasir Huda Khan and Laraib.

Hamza Bilal won first position in the boys’ Under-17 gross, followed by Basil and Ahmad, in Net Laraib got first position, followed by Abbas and Muhammad Bin Qasim. In Boys’ Under-14 gross Adan Bokhari got first, followed by Hazi and Danial and in Net Bilal, Darmal and Jalal got positions.

In Senior Amateur gross Col Saud won the title, followed by Mohsin and Brig Iqbal while in Net Azharul Habib won first position, followed by Dr. Shahkar and Rahim Bari while in Veterans gross Imdad Hussain of Railways won the title with five under par 67, followed by Asad and Mehmood Kiyani of PTV.

Col Safi won the title in Net category, followed by Col Saeed and Jamalul Hasnain. In Ladies category US National Ami Qin won the title in gross, followed by Tahira and Asma and in Net Aisha won the title, followed by Zeenat Aisha and Aisha Hamid.

In Media Putting Javed Iqbal of Dawn TV won first position, followed by Hashim of Frontier News and Jehanzeb of Al-Safawat Sports Magzine.At the end, Governor KP Iqbal Zafar Jhagra who was the chief guest on this occasion gave away trophies and cash prizes to the position holders.