DACGC take lead as Sindh Inter-Club Golf tees off

KARACHI: Spearheaded by stunning performances from their amateurs, Defence Authority Country and Golf Club took a sizable lead on the opening day of the Sindh Golf Association (SGA) Inter-Club Golf Tournament here at DACGC on Tuesday.

After a series of contests in various categories that included amateurs, seniors, ladies and juniors, DACGC emerged as the leaders with a grand total of 1146 for a 25 stroke lead over Airmen Golf Club (1171). Just a solitary stroke behind Airmen are the Karachi Golf Club at 1172.

Seasoned amateur Omair Javed fired a sizzling round of six-under par 66 to set the tone for DACGC, which won the inaugural SGA Inter-Club Tournament last year and represented the province in the first-ever National Inter-Club Championship in Lahore.

Omair was not the only DACGC golfer to shine in the first round of the two-day tournament. Omar Khalid, the reigning national amateur champion, carded 71 to make sure that DACGC will lead in the marque clash of tournament, featuring some of the country’s top amateurs, against their top rivals Karachi Golf Club. Omar, who eagled the par-4 fifth, was cruising for an even better round but back-to-back bogies on holes 15 and 16 dented his card. KGC’s Yashal Shah carded a stunning round of 70 to keep his team in the hunt. DACGC’s Ali Mehmood carded 75 so did KGC’s Saim Shazli.

In the amateurs category DACGC (212) are leading KGC by 12 strokes (224) followed by AGC (240).

In the senior amateurs, KGC took the lead with the help of a solid round from Asad I.A Khan, President SGA. Airmen’s Nadeem Iftikhar carded 78, Azhar Hameed (79) and Azhar Abbas, Khurram Khan and Col Mansoor Akram (80).

In the ladies category, AGC’s Aania Farooq fired a superb round of 76 to raise her team’s hopes. AGC also did well in the junior ladies category in which Humna Amjad, one of Pakistan’s leading players, carded 71. In the boys (under-15) category Ashash Amjad sizzled with a round of 71.

The second and final round of the tournament will be played at KGC on Wednesday. The victorious team will earn the right to represent Sindh in the PGF National Inter-Club Championship also to be played at KGC from September 9-11. The champion clubs from various PGF associations will feature in the event.