KARACHI: Mohammad Ashfaque of Airmen Golf Club (AGC) shot a splendid three under par 69 to seize a one stroke lead in the sixth Independence Day Open Golf Championship which commenced at the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club on Friday.
Ashfaque, who finished runner-up in the recently concluded 16th Sindh Open, scored four birdies and 13 pars besides a bogey to lead the pack of 77 players who teed off in the morning.
Following his heels in the second place a stroke behind are eight players who fired two under 70. They include three players from the host club – Hashmat Khan, Rehmatullah and Imran Ali Khan – defending champion Mohammad Shabbir Iqbal (Islamabad), Waheed Baloch (KGC), Mohammed Munir (Islamabad), Matloob Ahmed (Garrison) and Shafiq Masih (Gymkhana).
Shabbir’s first round card envisaged three birdies, 14 pars and a bogey.
Three players – Imdad Hussain, Taj Nabi and Mohammad Tahir -- are bracketed in the third place with one under 71.
Meanwhile, defending champion Zohaib Asif of the DHA posted a card of 69, three under par, to capture a slender one stroke lead.
Rawalpindi’s Ghazanfar Mahmood is at the second place with two under 70.
Leader board: Pros:
69 -- Mohammad Ashfaque (Airmen Golf Club)
70 -- Hashmat Khan (DHA), Rehmatullah (DHA), Imran Ali Khan (DHA), Mohammad Shabbir Iqbal (Islamabad), Waheed Baloch (KGC), Mohammed Munir (Islamabad), Matloob Ahmed (Garrison), Shafiq Masih (Gymkhana).
71 -- Imdad Hussain (Garrison), Taj Nabi (KGC), Mohammad Tahir (Gymkhana),
72 -- Rafiq Ahmed (KGC), Mohammad Arif (DHA), Mohammad Tariq (Islamabad).
Amateurs:
69 -- Zohaib Asif (DHA)
70 -- Ghazanfar Mahmood (Rawalpindi)
73 -- Khalid Mahmood (Rawalpindi), Zulfiqar Ali (Multan).
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014
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