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