Brilliant Ahmad crowned as new Sindh Open champion

KARACHI: A new era in Pakistan’s professional golf dawned on Sunday when Lahore youngster Ahmad Baig elbowed out his more accomplished opponents to win the Sindh Open Golf Championship by a comfortable margin of five strokes.

Ahmad, who won accolades as a junior and later as an amateur, made it clear that he is now a major title contender at the professional level when he finished the three-day championship with an aggregate of 200 (-16) to win the coveted title with an enviable ease.

This is the first major title for Ahmad, who turned professional after winning a series of junior and amateur events like the Faldo Series Asia Final in Vietnam, Bangladesh Amateur and Qatar Amateur.

“It’s a great feeling winning the Sindh Open ahead of so many top players,” said Ahmad, who was in terrific form throughout the 54-hole championship hosted at the Arabian Sea Country Club by the Sindh Golf Association (SGA). He won the Sindh Open trophy along with a cheque of Rs322,500.

Defending chapion Matloob Ahmed, also from Lahore, was unable to match his younger opponent after sharing the lead with him in the opening round. He had to settle with the runner-up trophy along with a prize purse of Rs208,550 after finishing with an aggregate of -11. Five-time champion Shabbir Iqbal finished third and received a prize of Rs135,450 followed by Shahid Javed Khan at the fourth place.

In the amateurs category, Ghazanfar Mehmood took the top honours while M. Sharif was the runner-up. Zohaib Asif finished third. In the Senior Professionals’ category, M. Akram of Lahore Gymkhana reigned supreme ahead of Imdad Hussain. Tahir Naseem finished third. Abdul wadood won in the junior professionals category ahead of M. Insaf and M. Saqib. In ladies category Aania Farooq was the winner while Tabassum Sharif finished as runner-up. Danyal Khan won in the juniors category.