October 19, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 6, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 18: Taimur Hasan made a fine start in the national amateur golf championship by sharing the first-round lead with Sri Lanka’s K.A. Chandradasa at the Lahore Gymkhana golf course on Thursday.

Taimur carded an impressive two-under-par-70 to earn a place on the leaderboard, with the vastly experienced Chandradasa.

Taimur’s golfing fetched him six birdies in the opening round. He completed the front nine in 36 with birdies on 6, 8 and 9 and bogies on 2, 3, 4 and 7.

His performance on the back nine was more perfection-oriented and was bogie free with birdies on 12, 13 and 16.

Equally delightful has been the display of golfing skills by Chandradasa.

He birdied on holes 7, 8, 11, 16 and 17. Bogies were registered on holes 4, 9 and 13 and the 18 holes.

Tariq Mahmood the defending champion is not too far behind. In fact, he is just a stroke away and looked adept in the opening round.

Accompanying Tariq at the score of 71 are Sohail (Bangladesh) and K. Prabagran ( Sri Lanka).

Others who were prominent are Robin Bagh (Gymkhana) 72, Rashid Khan (India) 73, Raheel Akbar (Gymkhana) 73, Aadil Jahangir (Pakistan) 73, Shahid Khan (Bangladesh) 73, M. Safdar (Pakistan) 74, Moin Malik (India) 74, Omer Azim (Gymkhana) 74 and Jamal Hussain (Bangladesh) 74.

In the international team match, the Sri Lankan team is ahead by two strokes with a team aggregate of 216. Chandradasa contributing 70, K. Prabagran 71, Mithun Perera 75.

Pakistan and Bangladesh are bracketed together at 218. For Pakistan, Tariq Mehmood carded 71, Aadil Jahangir 73 and M. Safdar 74. As for Bangladesh, Sohel carded 71, Shahid Khan 73 and Jamal 74.

The ladies championship and seniors’ championship will tee off on Friday.