Top stars in fray as inaugural PGF Inter-Club Golf tees off today

LAHORE: Some of Pakistan’s leading players in various categories will feature in the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) Inter-Club Golf Championship which tees off here at the Garrison Greens Golf Club from Friday (today).

A host of star players including top professionals Shabbir Iqbal, Hamza Amin and Matloob Ahmed and leading amateurs including National amateur champion Omar Khalid and Damil Ataullah and national ladies champion Humna Amjad will be seen in action during the championship.

A new addition on the national golf circuit, the championship is an initiative of Lt Gen Mian Hilal Hussain, President PGF.

“President PGF has been very keen about the idea to initiate an all-Pakistan Inter-Club championship,” says Dr Ali Haider, the tournament director.

The championship features the champion clubs from associations affiliated with the PGF. For the first edition of the championship, the four clubs who have won the right to represent their respective associations includes Defence Authority Country and Golf Club from Sindh, Garrison Greens Golf Club from Punjab, Peshawar Golf Club from KPK and Islamabad Golf Club from Federal.

Hosts Garrison Greens and Islamabad Golf Club will begin as the main favourites for the coveted title which carries a prize of Rs1 million.

Islamabad Golf Club has Shabbir Iqbal, Pakistan’s most accomplished professional as well as Hamza Amin, another top national player. Garrison has Matloob Ahmed and Pakistan’s top senior amateur Col Rustam Chattha. DACGC has Omar Khalid, Pakistan’s youngest national amateur champion, while Peshawar will hope that national champion Humna Amja will shine in the girls category.

Such is the format of the championship that in the end there is a big likelihood that the final outcome would be decided by categories that are generally seen in Pakistan as of lesser importance like junior girls and boys, ladies and junior professionals.

That’s because it has been announced by PGF that the championship will be decided on the basis of gross scores of all 16 participating players from each team.

“The main purpose of this format is to promote categories like junior girls and boys, ladies and junior professionals,” said Dr Ali. “In the past these categories didn’t get due support but with the introduction of the Inter-Club championship PGF believes that all clubs in Pakistan will start promoting golf among the juniors and ladies as well,” he said.

Another salient feature of the Inter-Club championship is the much-anticipated Long Drive contest which will take place at Garrison Greens on Friday (today). Top professionals, amateurs and ladies will take part in the contest. The three-day championship will conclude on Sunday.