Matloob on top as CNS Open promises exciting finale today

KARACHI: Defending champion Matloob Ahmed exhibited his A game at the Karachi Golf Club on Saturday as he fired a superb round of four-under-par 68 to take a slim one-shot lead ahead of the final round of the Engro 25th CNS Open Golf Championship.

Just when it seemed that Pakistan’s ace professional Shabbir Iqbal will consolidate his lead, Lahore’s Matloob made a series of birdies to move ahead of his top rival on the leader-board after the third round.

Matloob’s 68 pushed Shabbir to the second spot on the leader-board and has set up an exciting finale on Sunday (today) with young contender Ahmed Baig just three shots off the pace.

Matloob has a three-day aggregate of 206 (-10) followed by Shabbir at 207. Islamabad’s Shabbir was going strong till the 15th hole on Friday but three consecutive bogies on the last three holes allowed Matloob to move ahead of him. Shabbir was -4 till the 15th hole but a lapse of concentration in the final three holes meant that he returned with a card of 71.

In third place with an aggregate of 209 is Ahmed Baig, who carded 70 in the third round.

Seasoned campaigner Muhammad Munir also catapulted himself into contention for the coveted title when he carded an impressive round of 67 on Friday. He is in fourth place at 210. First day’s leader Waheed Baloch shares the fifth place with Muhammad Nazir (211). Lahore’s Muhammad Alam also kept himself in the hunt as he fired the best round of the day – a stunning 66 – to figure among the top 7 with an aggregate of 212.

Meanwhile in the amateurs’ category, there is a close battle for supremacy between young national amateur champion Omar Khalid and Arsalan Shikoh Khan.

Both Omar and Arsalan were tied for the first place on the leader-board at the end of the third round. Omar, who has just turned 17, carded 76 after missing a series of birdie putts. In contrast, Arsalan sank three birdies to card 74 and tie Omar for the first position ahead of Sunday’s final round. Both have similar aggregates of 226.

Lahore’s Rimsha Ijaz was rewarded for her consistency as she won the ladies title by a solitary stroke. Rimsha followed her opening round’s 75 with 78 which allowed her to edge Aania Farooq by one shot. Rimsha’s sister Parkha Ijaz finished third. Hamna Amjad, who carded 73 in the first round, flopped in the final round with an 84.

In the seniors’ category, Cdre Shahid Habib took a two-shot lead after carding 77 in the opening round. In second place are the duo of Ahmed Jamil Siddiqui (79) and Omar Farooq (79). They are followed by Brig Nasrullah Khan (80), Qazi Amir Hussain (80) and Asad I.A Khan (80).

The seasoned Amir, a popular golfer on the Karachi circuit, stole the limelight for the day when he made a hole-in-one on the Blue fourth hole. Since local pro Afsar Ali had already scored an ace, Qazi couldn’t win a Toyota Fortuner but he gets free fuel worth Rs100,000.

The four-day championship will conclude on Sunday (today).