Shabbir clinches title after playoff

Published December 30, 2002

KARACHI, Dec 29: Shabbir Iqbal bagged the Caltex 35th Pakistan Open golf championship professional title after playoff with Mohammad Munir at the Karachi Golf Club fairways on Sunday.

The sudden death duel began as both the contenders teed off from 10th for a one to one battle as Munir’s approach shot went into bunker, while Shabbir came onto green 20 feet from the pin.

Munir had a splendid bunker shot but Shabbir putted for a birdie to grab the title in style.

Earlier, overnight leader Shabbir proceeded along steadily racking up pars on six of the first nine holes but lost on six and eight. He ended the round with a birdie on 18th, saving himself as Munir had already finished at four under.

Other contestants, Amjad Yousuf and Ghulam Mohammad, lost strokes and fell out of contention, but Munir, who was five shots behind Shabbir at the start of the final round, carded birdies at 2nd, fourth and 18th holes.

His approach stroke, lobbed onto the greens six feet short and his birdie, gave him an opportunity to go for sudden death against Shabbir.

Shahid Javed with final score of 289 clinched the amateurs title, while Taimur Hassan (296) finished as runner-up.

In the senior professionals category, Mohammad Shafiq emerged as the winner with the scores of 71 and 76, Shaukat Ali was second two strokes behind at 149.

Punjab, comprising Vaqas Ahmad, Shahid Javed, Aadil Jahangir, and Mohammad Safdar, won the inter-association team match with an aggregate of 898.

Results of the final round (professionals):

284 — Shabbir Iqbal 74, 66, 70, 74.

284 — Mohammad Munir 72, 73, 70, 69.

285 — Matloob Ahmad 75, 69, 73, 68.

290 — Waheed Baloch 73, 69, 75, 73.

291 — Saleem Inayat 71, 75, 74, 71; Abbas Ali 72, 76, 72, 71.

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