KARACHI: Overnight leader Mohammad Nazir of Islamabad surprised all and sundry when he won the Pakistan Open golf championship which concluded at the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club on Sunday.Nazir, younger brother of Mohammad Munir, shot two under par 70 in the last round for an aggregate of seven under 281 to win the coveted title by four strokes.

Nazir remained consistent throughout the four-day event with score being 70, 72, 69 and 70. The triumph in the prestigious event earned him a winning purse of Rs575,320.

Matloob Ahmed of Lahore Garrison finished runner-up four strokes behind. He played a par round on Sunday to finish with three under 285. He received a purse of Rs387,600.

Host DHA earned some consolation when their golfer Imran Ali Khan seized third place with a score of one under 287. He shot two over 74 in the last round. Imran was awarded a sum of Rs239,400. A hefty sum of rupees four million was disbursed in the pros and another Rs500,000 among the senior pros.

Defending champion Mohammad Shabbir finished a poor sixth with four over 292 together with Waheed Baloch and Ansar Mehmood.

DHA’s Waseem Rana captured the amateurs’ title with an aggregate of 14 over 302. He won the honours on the last round score following a tie with Ghazanfar Mehmood of Rawalpindi.

Holder Ali Hai had to be content with sixth place with a score of 312.

Top finishers: Pros:

281 — Mohammad Nazir (Islamabad) 70, 72, 69, 70285 — Matloob Ahmed (Lahore Garrison) 67, 72, 74, 72 287 — Imran Ali Khan (DHA) 73, 70, 70, 74 290 — Mohammad Afzal (SRC) 76, 73, 69, 72; Mohammad Munir (Islamabad) 68, 70, 76, 76 292 — Mohammad Shabbir (Islamabad) 73, 74, 72, 73; Waheed Baloch (KGC) 73, 68, 77, 74; Ansar Mahmood (Margala Green Golf Club) 70, 75, 71, 76 Amateurs: 302 — Waseem Rana (DHA) 76, 73, 79, 74; Ghazanfar Mehmood (Rawalpindi) 73, 76, 75, 78 306 — Zulfiqar Ali (Multan) 74, 77, 76, 79 307 — Mubariz Ahmed (Margala Green Golf Club) 76, 74, 77, 80 310 — Capt Ansar Mehmood (KGC) 78, 82, 76, 74 312 — M. Ali Hai (KGC) 77, 82, 79, 74; Salman Jehangir (Gymkhana) 78, 79, 76, 79

Senior pros: 147 — Hasan Akbar (KGC) 74, 73 148 — M. Ilyas (Gymkhana) 73, 75 149 — Mehmood Kiyani (Islamabad) 73, 76