09 May 2004	Sunday	18 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, May 8:Islamabad's Muhammad Munir maintained his lead in the President of Pakistan Gold Medal Open golf championship on Saturday with another round of 69 as he finished the second day with an aggregate of six under par 138.

A stroke behind Munir in the professional category was Karachi's Javed Inyat, who also did well to keep his second place, carding 70 for a total of five under par 139 over two days.

Matloob Ahmed, who was in a four-way tie for third spot going into the second day of competition, broke away with a score of 71 to be three under 141, staying behind Munir and Javed.

Munir's fine round featured five birdies, two on the front nine and another three as he came back. He also bogeyed the par 5 sixth hole and the eighth.

In comparison, Javed had an eagle on the par 5 ninth as he struck four birdies while losing a stroke on the seventh hole and double bogeying at the 11th hole.

Defending champion Muhammad Shabbir Iqbal and Muhammad Nazir were both locked in fifth place at one under 143 behind Abbas Ali and Waheed Baloch who were tied at two under 142.

In the amateur net event, Wng Cdr Ehtesham of Rawalpindi stayed ahead with a net score of 135 followed by Inyatullah Yousafzai who was on 138 net. In third place was Capt Zafar Mehmood with net 141.

Dr Aimal Zaman led the amateurs gross field finishing on 147 over two days following up his opening day's 75 with an improved round of 72.

A stroke behind was Rawalpindi's Vaqas Ahmed on gross 148 while Waseem Rana and Shahid Javed Khan were joint third with scores of 150.

Iftikhar Ahmed with seven over par 151 was in front in the senior professional category well ahead of Akbar Ali (156) and Nawaz Khan who was third with 161.

Rawalpindi's Rubab Haider was the leader in the ladies net event with net 148. She was followed by Islamabad golfers Sarah Mahmood and Yasmin Mubarik, both of whom were tied at scores of net 154 while Eunkyoung Sung and Heidi Schirmer were together in third place with net 157.

Tahira Nazir, another Rawalpindi golfer was comfortably ahead in the ladies gross competition carding 173 over two days while Rubab Haider, five strokes behind was second on 178 and Yasmin Mubarik third with 180.