Under-21 trio shares lead as Faldo Series tees off

KARACHI: The trio of Karachi’s Vivek Anand, Rawalpindi’s Ralfe’e Raja and Lahore’s Numan Ilyas topped the leader-board on the opening day of Faldo Series Pakistan here at the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club on Thursday.

All three of them carded impressive par (72) rounds on day one of the four-day event which will serve as trials to select the Pakistan team for Faldo Series Asia Grand Finals. The trio is now heading the boys under-21 category of the tournament. Placed behind them in U-21 category were M Arsalan (75) and Asad Ali Khan (76).

In the boys under-18 category, the duo of Lahore’s Damil Ataullah and Karachi’s Ahmed Shan, both shot 75, to share the lead. They were followed by Taimur Ali Khan (77) and the quartet of Ali Mehmood, Waleed Chachar, Junaid Irfan and Waleed Ali Khan.

In the boys under-16 category Yashal Shah took a one shot lead with 77. The duo of Omar Khalid and Sameer Sayeed were in second place with 78. Behind them were Danyal Khan and Saad Habib (80).

In the girls under-21 category there are just two contestants and the result seems like a foregone conclusion after Aania Farooq took a huge 18-stroke lead in the opening after carding 73. Aamna Amjad, her only opponent, scored 91.

The girls’ under-16 category has just three entries but if the opening round’s result is any yardstick then it might turn out to be a close race. In this category, national champion Hamna Amjad scored 78 to take a one-shot lead over Abiha Hanim Syed (79). Abiha’s sister Daniya Syed was in third place at 81.

The Pakistan leg of the Faldo Series will serve as national trials for the Faldo Series Asia Grand Finals to be held at the Laguna Lang Co Golf Club in Danang, Vietnam from March 4-6.