RAWALPINDI: On the second day of Pakistan Open Golf Championship, dashing Ahmed Baig of PAF Sky View Golf Club continued with his fine form and mastery on the greens to maintain his lead here on Friday.

At the start of the 18 holes on Friday here at Rawalpindi Golf Course, Baig started as a leader, looking energetic and in fine touch. His drives off the tee were forceful backed by errorless approach shots .These attributes fetched him six birdies and though he encountered a double bogey too plus three bogies his score for the second round was gross 70 and that added to the first days score of 70 gives him an aggregate of 140 ,four under par for two rounds and his advantage over his nearest adversary is two strokes.

Two strokes behind the leader is another youngster from Peshawar, Taimoor Khan. During the second round, Taimoor played the best round of the day ,a gross 69 three under par giving him a two days aggregate of 142, two under par. No doubt this might be upsetting for favoourites like Shabbir Iqbal, M.Munir and Matloob Ahmed who have reigned the golf arena of Pakistan for over decade but it appears their sway over the top positions is beginning to be challenged.

Out of the other contenders Shabbir is placed third with a two rounds aggregate of 143,one under par and he is three strokes behind the leader Ahmed Baig.

Competition wise that is not much of an advantage for the leader and it means an intense fight over the next two rounds and it will be youth versus experience.

More contenders in line for good positions are M. Ashfaq of Airmen Golf Club at a score of 144,followed by M. Nazir and Sajjad Khan of Islamabad at 145. A very talented amateur golfer Muhammed Umer Khokhar of Rawalpindi Golf Club lies seventh at a score of 146 which represents a big accomplishment for him. Also at the score of 146 is Arif Ali of PTV. At 147 is Zubair Husain of PAF and at 148 is Muhammed Munir of Rawalpindi Golf Club and Akber Mehroze of Gymkhana.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2020