September 30, 2003	Tuesday	Sha’aban 3, 1424

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LAHORE, Sept 29: Four times Pakistan Open champion Imdad Hussain on Monday declared that the game of golf would not flourish in the country unless Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) finds sponsors for professionals and amateurs.

Talking to Dawn, after winning the Bank Alfalah Quaid-i-Azam Open golf, on Sunday, Imdad said that it was the responsibility of the federation to arrange sponsors for players, so that they could compete more at international circuits.

Imdad said that Pakistan annual circuit did not have more than Rs 3.5 million for professional golfers, whereas, the Indian circuit was of around Rs 30.5 million. Besides, the Indian Golf Federation was also helping their golfers to get sponsorship.

“That is why three Indian golfers have joined the Asia top-10 club including top Asian Joti, Arjun Atwal and G. Milka Singh”, Imdad said.

He pointed out that in India no golf tournament was being held of a cash prize less than Rs 1.2 million.

He said that PGF should adopt a policy to bind its affiliated units to give a minimum first prize of Rs 100,000 to the winner of the professional event.

Imdad, who belongs to a golf family, said that Sindh Golf Association had a good track record as it had organised big prizes tournaments but Punjab was far behind.

Recently, CNS golf tournament was held at Karachi offering a total cash prize of Rs 1.2 million and Sindh Open of Rs 500,000, he said.

“Look at the low prize money of this tournament which was held by a big bank of the country”, Imdad said. A total cash prize of Rs 250,000 was at stake in this three-day tournament, with the winner taking only Rs 41,200.

Imdad said that he was on the Asian Circuit, but he was missing a lot of tournaments because of lack of sponsors.

He said that Punjab Open was also not being held for the last three years but there was no one to ask about it from the concerned authorities.