LAHORE: Umer Khokhar of Rawalpindi won the main title of the third Chairman Wapda Golf Championship, which was badly hit due to the foggy weather prevailing these days in Lahore on Saturday.

The championship, which came to a shortened conclusion after the final round on Sunday, was reduced to nine holes instead of 18 as fog prevented timely start to last day’s proceedings.

And overall the Championship was contested over nine holes on Friday, 18 on Saturday and nine on Sunday which means the aspirants for top honours had to feel contented with 36 holes competition as against the targeted 54 holes.

Umer, Pakistan’s top-ranked amateur golfer, outsmarted rival and defending champion Qasim Ali Khan of Gymkhana. Umer’s scores during the three days were gross 34 on Friday, 77 on Saturday and 37 on the shortened final day (championship gross score of 148).

Qasim managed scores of 39, 73 and 36 and aggregate gross for the match added up to 149.

As for other performers in the gross section, young Damil Ataullah of Garrison Golf Club won the third gross with a three-round aggregate of 150.

In the competitive race in the net category, Mohammad Nasir Irshad won the first net with an impressive score of net 139. Second net was won by Ahmed Zafar Hayat while Mohammad Shoaib came third.

In the Invitational match, Col Shaukat Abbas won the first gross while second gross went to Farhat Khan and third to Brig Sumair Ashraf. Net section winner was retired Lt Gen Mohammad Hilal Hussain.

Suneyah Osama won the ladies title.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2021