RAWALPINDI, Feb 15: Muhammad Munir won the top professionals’ prize while Munir Haider Malik grabbed the title trophy in the first-ever Open golf championship on Wednesday.

Muhammad returned a three-round card of two-under 214 to emerge champion in the professionals’ category and receive the top prize of Rs.72,000.

Imdad Hussain of Lahore Golf Club was runner-up with par 216 (Rs49,000) while filling the third spot were three golfers who got identical three-round scores of four-over 220 each — Akhter Ali, Muhammad Saddiq and Muhammad Sajid.

A total of Rs. 500,000 was distributed as prize money for the categories of professionals and senior professionals.

The title trophy was decided on the basis of amateur net scores and Munir Haider, a 10-handicapper, was way ahead, with a three-round score of 208.

His nearest rival, Ijaz Hussain Qureshi, carded 217 while two strokes further behind, on the third position, was Hassan Rafi with 219.

Munir Haider finished with a double delight as he also landed the amateur gross prize with a total of 238 while Azhar Shah Bukhari was runner-up with 243.

Tied on the third spot in the amateur gross with identical scores of 247 each were four of them — Abu Bakar, Ijaz Hussain Qureshi, Wamiq Shakeel and Saleem Raza.

Muhammad Iqbal of Lahore Gymkhana clinched top senior professionals prize while following him down the order were Ghaniur Rehman, and Akbar Ali of Lahore Gymkhana.

The three top finishers in the seniors net were Fakri Siddiqui of Islamabad (138), Niaz Hussain, also of Islamabad, (144) and Muhammad Sadiq Ch. of Rawalpindi (144).

Results:

Winners of seniors gross: Ghafoor Raja (153), M. Safi (165) and Abbas H. Mirza (also 165).

Veterans Net: Muhammad Aslam Mirza (35), Khalilur Rehman (38) and Muhammad Arshad Malik (39)

Veterans Gross: Naseem Uddin (44), Ali Akbar Naqvi (45) and Sabir Hussain (46).

Subsidiary Net: Idrees Nisar (131), Maqsood (132) and Mumtaz A. Javed (140).

Subsidiary Gross: Adeel Zafar (164), Tariq Mehmood (166) and Zafar Waraich (177).

Invitees Net: Khalid Munir Khan (140), Zaheerul Islam (42) and Tahir Ali (54).

Invitees Gross: Masood Hassan (39), Tariq Saleem Malik (41) and Hamid Mehmood (49).—APP