Akhter claims seniors pro title

LAHORE: Akhter Ali claimed the seniors pro title of the Punjab Open Golf at Raya Golf Course here on Thursday.

Senior professionals, mostly champions of the past, made their presence felt through stylish hitting, appropriate and effective chipping and supplemented this effort with majestic putting on the greens.

Out of a field of 50 senior professionals the outstanding ones were Akhter (Gymkhana), M Akram (WAPDA) and Imdad Hussain (Garrison) who concluded their 18-hole outing with a score of gross 71, one under par.

Since their scores were equal, they went into a sudden death playoff by teeing from hole number one to decide the ultimate winner. With a large crowd watching, all three hit powerful tee shots and from thereon it was the short game skill that came into play.

Imdad hit an approach shot that was not champion-like, Akram too faltered but Akhter hit a cultivated fancy looking shot to land within four feet of the hole. And thereafter victory was just a formality, as Imdad putted for par, Akram ended up with a bogey and Akhter successfully putted for a birdie.

In the race for honours in Senior Amateur category, there were 52 contestants. Tariq Mehmood of Garrison turned out to be the best one and compiled a score of gross 75, winning the first gross prize. The second gross went to Imran Ahmed of Defence Raya, his score being gross 76. Javed Khan of Gymkhana ended third as his score was gross 79. The net section winner of Seniors event was Brig Zahid Maqbool with a net round of 70. Kang Chong Jin of Defence Raya stood second with a net score of 71. The third net winner was Abdul Haseeb, his score being net 72. From Friday (today) the professional champions and leading amateurs enter the contest.