Imran wins inaugural PGF Development Tour event

KARACHI: M Imran from Lahore won the top honours in the inaugural Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) Development Tour here at the Airmen Golf Club on Wednesday.

The professional from Defence Raya didn’t take many risks as he carded a final round score of four-over par 76 to win the event by two strokes.Imran, who carded 71 in the opening round, lead the field throughout the three-day tournament and finally finished with an aggregate of 224 (+8).

Tahir Nasim from Lahore Gymkhana finished as the runner-up with an aggregate of 226. He was followed by Mudassir Iqbal, Zahir Shah and M Shehzad, M Afzal (228), Shahid Hanif and Arshad Rashid (230). The tournament carried a prize purse of Rs1 million.

Staging the Development Tour is historical move on part of the PGF as it is for the first time in the history of Pakistan golf that such an event has been held in the country.“The PGF Development Tour will provide a great boost to second-tier professionals of the country,” said Asad I.A Khan, President Sindh Golf Association (SGA). “Such events will provide a much-needed incentive to them and I must say that the credit goes to General Hilal Hussain, President PGF, for taking this great initiative,” he added.

The Tour will comprise a total of 120 golfers, 60 professionals who qualified for the PGF Card, alongwith 40 professionals who hold reserve cards and 20 Junior professionals. It will be a recurring tour, commencing from Sindh and moving onto other provinces.