KARACHI, Dec 16: Two times former champion, Shabbir Iqbal of Navy, emerged as opening day’s leader with five under-par 67 in the professional category of the three-day 10th Chief Of the Naval Staff open golf championship at Karachi Golf Club on Friday.

Shabbir who won successive titles in 2002 and 2003 fired five birdies, three on front nine and two on back nine in the 18-holes played on the first day of the competition to lead the pack.

Following him is Muhammad Sajid of Rawalpindi with four under-par 68. He scored seven birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.

Karachi Golf Club’s Nadeem Inayat is placed third with two under-par 70.

Defending champion, Matloob Ahmad of PTCL, is trailing far behind with ten over-par 82.

Promising Muhammad Ali Hai of KGC heads the leader board in the amateur (gross) category with one under-par 71.

He is followed by Ansar Mahmood whose score is two over-par 74. Winner of last year’s amateur (gross) event, Wasim Rana, is placed fifth with seven over-par 79.

Asad I. A. Khan, finished the opening day among top ten with nine over-par 81.

In the amateur (net) competition, Haneef Rabbani of the DHA is placed on top with 71.

In the senior professional category, Manzoor Ahmed of Lahore Gymkhana is leading with a score of 73.

The ladies and juniors competition spread over 18-holes, and a 9-hole veteran’s event, will be played on Saturday.

Leader board of top 10 professionals

1-Shabbir Iqbal 67 (-5), 2- Muhammad Sajid 68 (-4),3- Nadeem Inayat 70 (-2), 4- Imdad Hussain 71 (-1), 5-Muhammad Siddique 71 (-1), 6-Muhammad Munir 71 (-1), 7- Irfan Mahmood 72 (0), 8- M. Nazir 72 (0), 9- Ansar Mahmood 72 (0), 10- Abbas Ali 73 (1).