KARACHI: Noted golfer Ghazanfar Mahmood of Rawalpindi shot one under par 71 to lead the pack of 45 golfers in the first round of the 15th Sindh Amateur Golf Championship which teed off at the Karachi Golf Club on Friday.

To be played over 54 holes, the Sindh Golf Association (SGA) annual event got off to a spectacular start in calm playing conditions. The seniors, juniors and ladies events, to be played over 36-holes, begin on Saturday while the 18-holes veteran’s competition takes place on Sunday.

Ghazanfar is followed by Navy’s Sajid Khan, who carded 73, one over par, while a stroke away at two over 74 is Peshawar’s Taimur Khan. Placed fourth at three over 75 is DHA’s Zohaib Asif.

M. Rehman of Royal Palm (77), Salman Jahangir (78) of Lahore Gymkhana, defending champion Mansoor Teli (79) of KGC and Mubariz Ahmed (81) from Islamabad were disappointing in the first round.

The SGA has invited two lady golfers – Zaib-un-Nisa and Anna James – from Lahore to feature in the ladies event.

According to SGA top official, Asad I A Khan, they were inducted as lady caddies by the Lahore’s Royal Palm Golf Club sometimes back but after looking their interest, they were given the status of lady golfers.

Leading scorers after first round:

71 – Ghazanfar Mehmood (Rawalpindi)

73 – Sajid Khan (PN)

74 – Taimur Khan (Peshawar)

75 – Zohaib Asif (DHA)

76 – Khalid Mahmood (Rawalpindi), M. Sharif (West Wind), Dilshad Ali (Quetta)

77 – M. Rehman (Royal Palm)

78 – Salman Jahangir (Lahore Gymkhana)

79 – Mansoor Teli (KGC)

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2015

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