By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Jul 09 (APP):The Inaugural President PGA Open Golf Championship endorsed by Punjab Golf Association will swing into action here from tomorrow, Monday at the PAF Skyview Golf Course
This event stretches over six days from 10th to 15th July, with first three days reserved for competitive golfing activity amongst golf professionals while from 13th to 15th July it will be a race for success between amateur golf players, men amateurs, senior amateurs and ladies .
Noticeable is a change in the format of the Open Championship and henceforth all open championships held as per PGF Annual Golf Calendar will have separate segments for professionals exclusively and the amateur category golfers will be in action on other days .
Over the first three days, from 10th to 12th July, the golf professionals are expected to beam in terms of golfing excellence and reap cash rewards. A revealing and purposeful characteristic of this Open Golf Event is that eligibility for participation is restrictive and open only to the top hundred ranked golf professionals of Pakistan, top 30 senior professionals who are aged 50 years and above and top 15 junior golf professionals falling in the age bracket 21 years and below.
That makes this competition an all professional entanglement between dexterous, skillful and masterly golf playing torch bearers of the national golf scene, who have time and again proved their competence and artistry.
As a result of the introduction of this format the top golf professionals feel admired and acclaimed and hope that with this facilitation the flow of the golf game during the three rounds of golfing hostilities will become high spirited and lively .
And in the past when there was a mix of professionals and amateurs competing together the more prominent leading players would yearn for an unruffled flow of game which yields assured shot making and other elements like perfectly timed fairway shots, accurate chipping to the greens from short distances and above all sublime putting on the greens.
To make the event appealing and gripping, Kashif Bhatti of Punjab Golf Association shared that this championship represents a lucrative source of livelihood for the golf professionals of the country. While the prize money is wholesome and on offer is the sum of 6.5 million rupees to the top performers, an ancillary allurement is a car for the first hole in one and a Honda 125 for the second hole in one.
The Tournament Director, Air Cdre Mohammad Imran Pervez confirmed that right now all players who matter on the golf circuit of Pakistan have converged to the PAF Skyview Golf Course and have gone through the practice routine, measuring up the contours of the golf course, assessing hazards like bunkers and water pools, and finding ways and means of how to avoid out of bounds shots. As golfers know that in a competitive round of golf every shot has to be planned meticulously and those seeking top positions have to be alert and apply their skills in a way that their shot making reflects total excellence.
The Pakistan Air Force managed PAF Skyview Golf Course is in prime condition and the Organizing team of Kashif Bhatti, Sqn Ldr Muhammed Faizan, Amjad Ali and M.Zakir responsible for the arrangements hope to see fulfilling and commendatory performances in the event.