By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Sep 27 (APP):Defending champion Matloob Ahmed lost the battle to Muhammad Munir of Rawalpindi Golf Club after the winner came up with a brilliant performance in the final round on Sunday in the 39th Punjab Open Golf Championship that concluded at the enticing PAF Skyview Golf Course here on Sunday. Though at the start of the final round ,Matloob was considered the likely winner,outstanding display of golf playing skills accompanied by mental toughness enabled Munir to completely swing the flow of game in his favor and throughout the final 18 holes ,Munir appeared as the dominant one and in full command and control of the run of play.For an accomplished one like Matloob this certainly brought dismay and misery and though he tried hard ,there was no way he could stop M.Munir.And glory and acclaim falls in the lap of Munir as he succeeds in crushing Matloob and other mighty adversaries like Shabbir ,Talib ,Waheed Baloch ,Mohammad Shahzad and young Ahmed Baig.
In the final round Munir from Rawalpindi had a score of 67 and a three days aggregate of 206,ten under par. Mohammad Shahzad of Garrison Golf Club,and relatively new to the national golf circuit ,played remarkably well to achieve the runners up slot with scores of 71,71 and a sparkling 66 in the final round and a championship aggregate of 208,eight under par..This represents a big breakthrough for him.As for the defending champion Matloob Ahmed ,he had to be content with the third position ,his three round scores being 68,70 and 71 and a total of 209,seven under par.
The top position attainers:Muhammed Munir (Rawalpindi Golf Club)68+71+67=206_;M.Shahzad (Garrison)71=71+66=208;Matloob Ahmed(Garrison)68+70+71=209;;M.Shabbir(Islamabad)73,70,68=211;Suleman Akhter(Gymkhana)75,64,74=213;M.Alam(PSGCC)74,70,69=213;Talat Ijaz(Gymkhana)71,70,73=214;Usman Ali(Garrison)72,74,68=214;Taimoor Khan(Peshawar)75,74,66=215;Ahmed Baig(PSGCC)73,70,73=216;Ashiq Hussain(Multan)70,75,71=216;Latif Rafiq(Gymkhana)72,73,71=216;;
From the angle of development and player progress ,M.Shahzad,Suleman Akhter and Taimoor Khan are new finds in the Professionals category A feature of this championship was that live scores were available with the GemGolfers technology developed locally.
In the amateurs section Salman Jehangir of Lahore Gymkhana won the first gross with scores of 70,,75 and 77 and an aggregate of 222. Qasim Ali Khan ,also of Gymkhana came second with a total score for three days of 224..Umar Khokhar of Bahria Rawalpindi was third in this category and his aggregate score was 230. Top position in Ladies section was won by Parkha Ijaz (Defence Raya) with Aaniya Syed (PAF Skyview)as the runners up.Suneyah Osama (PAF Skyview) came third.Parkha Ijaz dominated the ladies section with a stunning display of classy golf .Her scores for the two rounds were gross 78 on the first day and gross 76 in the second round.Ladies first position in net was claimed by Laiba Shah (Gymkhana). ,B.Fatima won second net and Saeeda Iman Ali Shah (Gymkhana )attained the third net prize.
Other results;Senior Professionals;Mohammad Akram(1st);Tahir Nasim(2nd);Raja Iftikhar(3rd);Junior Professionals;Abdul Wadood (1st);Faizan(2nd);Akash Bashir(3rd);Senior Amateurs;Lt Col Asif Medi(1st net);Tariq Mehmood(2nd net);Ahsan Ghias(3rd net);Rustam Chatta(1st gross);Rashid Akbar(2nd gross);Lt Col Waqar Ahmed(3rd gross); Amongst senior amateurs Col (r)Asif Mehdi and Rustam Chatta stand out as players of caliber.
At the conclusion of the evebt the prizes were awarded to the notable performers by Lt Gen(r)Amir Riaz ,,President ,Punjab Golf Association in a ceremony attended by Air Commodore Umar Naeem,Air Commodore (rtd)Tariq Usman Abbas ,Brig(r) Shahid Wahab Rao,Brig Ijaz Ahad Khan,Adeel Sheikh ,participating golfers and golfing families.
