LAHORE, March 19: An eagle over Par-5 seventh hole and three birdies helped Shafique Masih of Lahore Gymkhana to emerge as leader on the second day on Saturday with an aggregate of 9-under-par-135 in the eighth Faysal Bank Open Golf at the Lahore Gymkhana course.
Shafique, who was a stroke behind the first day’s leader Mohammad Munir of Islamabad, played calculated strokes on the fairways and did excellent putting on the greens to steal the show. He must be the most satisfied man at the end as Munir lagged behind by three strokes.
Shafique, who had lost a stroke on the second hole, reversed the tide by sinking the first birdie on the fourth and, after a feat of eagle, he went for another birdie on the 8th to finish the first nine at 3-under-par-32. While coming back Shafique had a sole birdie on the 11th to complete it at one-under-36 to dominate the second day in professional category.
At 138, Munir was at the second position after playing at par- 72 (34,38). Munir, who registered an excellent card of six-under- 66 on first day, seemed an average performer today.
He had a birdie on the third and the seventh and a bogey on the fifth to complete the first nine holes one-under-34. At back nine, he faltered thrice, on 10th, 11th and 18th holes, but had a birdie on the 15th to make it 38.
One stroke behind was Ansar Mahmood of Islamabad. He posted a card of two-under-par-70 with the help of birdies on the 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes while bogies on the second and the 10th.
Imdad Husain of Garrison was at the fourth spot with four- under-par-140 (71,69).
Shahid Javed, who recently turned a professional and Abbas Ali, both of Gymkhana, were at 141 followed by Latif Masih (Gymkhana) and Muhammad Sajid (Rawalpindi) at 142.
In the amateur section, Shafiq Bhatti and Sameer Iftikhar, both of Lahore Gymkhana, were the joint leaders with two-day score of 149 each. Muhammad Safdar (Gujranwala) was at the second position with 150 and Daniyal Jehangir at the third with 152.
Result:
Professional.
135-Shafique Masih (Gymkhana) 67,68.
138-Mohammad Munir (Islamabad) 66,72; 138-Matloob Ahmad (Gymkhana) 68,70.
139-Ansar Mahmood (Islamabad) 69,70.
140-Imdad Husain (Islamabad) 71,69.
141-Shahid Javed (Gymkhana) 71,70; Abbas Ali (Gymkhana) 72,69. 3 / 142-Latif Masih (Gymkhana) 69,73; M Sajid (Rawalpindi) 71,71.
