August 16, 2007	Thursday	Sha’aban 2, 1428

KARACHI, Aug 15: Top professionals of the country will be seen in action during the 9th Sindh Open Golf Championship which tees-off at the picturesque Arabian Sea Country Club from Aug 17.

The winner of the Chief of Naval Staff Championship, Muhammad Shabbir Iqbal, as well as other senior golfers Matloob Ahmed, Amjad Yousuf, M. Munir, Shahid Javed Khan have confirmed their entries for the high profile event, Sindh Golf Association (SGA) Secretary Asad Khan told a news conference at the Karachi Club on Wednesday.

The championship, to be played over 54-holes will see around hundred professionals and 40 amateur golfers competing. A 36-hole senior professionals competition will also be part of the gala.

The SGA Secretary, dislosing the details, said besides sponsoring the event, Pak Suzuki has put as many as four cars for the golfers making hole-in-one at the competition. The winners in the professionals competition will grab a handsome prize money of Rs87,000.

Asad, himself a keen golfer, said players like Shabbir, Matloob, Munir were world class contestants and needed the support of the sponsors to raise their status at the Asian Professional Golf Association circuit.

Chairman of the Arabian Sea Country Club, Arif Abbasi, said the club and its golf course is rated as one of the best golfing clubs in Asia and they are looking forward to stage the Pakistan Open this year or in 2009, if awarded by the Pakistan Golf Federation. “We have got world class facilities to stage the event of APGA circuit,” he stressed.—APP