Tariq stuns Matloob in PGF Match Play Golf

LAHORE: Quarterfinalists were decided in the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) Match Play Golf Championship 2020 at the Royal Palm Golf Course here on Friday.

In the pre-quarterfinals of the event M. Munir (Rawalpindi) beat Arif Ali(PTV) in the opening match while in the remaining matches Mhammad Shahzad (Garrison) beat M. Rehman(Royal Palm), Talat Ijaz(Lahore Gymkhana) beat Muhammed Saeed (Royal Palm), Talib Hussain (Islamabad) beat Usman Ali (Garrison), Muhammed Alam (Defence Raya) beat Suleman Akhter(Gymkhana), M. Tariq (Islamabad) beat Matloob Ahmed (Garrison), M. Shabbir (Islamabad) beat Syed Raza Ali(PAF Skyview) and Ahmed Baig (PAF Skyview) beat Kamran Shafiq (Lahore Gymkhana).

The only upset of the day was the loss of title favourite Matloob Ahmed to the relatively lesser known M. Tariq.

Competition format on Friday was match play and battling it out for supremacy were 16 top professionals of the national golf arena and 16 amateurs who can easily be graded as the capable ones.

Match Play golf contests represent many moments of excitement as the skilled ones are matched in one to one fight and difference in playing calibre is minimal indeed.

But to achieve success the victorious one has to manage nerves besides demonstrate excellent application of golfing skills .And in the contests on Friday those who stayed on the winning march were mostly the top ranked ones.

Now only eight professionals will compete in the quarterfinals on Saturday and line-up will be Muhammad Munir vs M. Shahzad; Talat Ijaz vs Talib Hussain; Muhammed Alam vs Muhammed Tariq; Muhammed Shabbir vs Ahmed Baig.

All these eight professionals enjoy a class of their own and the urge to overcome a mighty adversary will be strong indeed.

In the race for match play ascendancy amongst amateurs, the triumphant players were Qasim Ali Khan (Gymkhana), Saim Shazli (Karachi Golf Club),Hussain Hamid (Royal Palm), Danish Javed( Lahore Gymkhana), Salman Jehangir (Lahore Gymkhana), Nasir Irshad (Lahore Gymkhana), Muhammad Arsalan( Lahore Gymkhana) and Capt Zain (KHR).

And the line-up for quarter finals on Saturday will be Qasim Ali Khan vs Syed Saim Shazli; Hussain Hamid vs Danish Javed; Salman Jehangir vs Capt Zain; Nasir Irshad vs Muhammed Arsalan.