PESHAWAR, April 5: Pakistan’s top golfers will compete in the 27th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Open golf championship set to tee-off from at the PAF Golf Club Peshawar from Thursday.

The event sponsored by PAF carries a purse of Rs225,000 to be distributed amongst 20 top finishers in the professional category.

Golfers would participate in six events, including professionals, amateurs, ladies, boys, veterans and pro-veterans, Secretary Peshawar Golf Club Group Captain Arif Naqvi told a press conference on Tuesday.

The defending champion of the professional is Shabbir Iqbal (Navy) while national team member Waqas Ahmed of Rawalpindi Golf Club will defend the title in amateur whereas Dr. Ali Haider was the winner last year in net category.

In the 13-18 handicaps Nomeer Sulari in gross and Asad Abbas in net were the winners last year. Tahir Nazir in net and Dr. Farida Naseer won the titles in gross.

He said, top professionals Shabbir Iqbal of Navy, Munir Ahmed, Tariq Matloob, Muhammad Akram, Mehmood Kiyani with amateurs Waqas, Tariq Mehmood, Mehmood Aziz, Ibrahim, Asad, Taimur Durrani, Adal Jehangir and Abbas Mirza will vie for the top honours.

The four-day championship which carries a purse of Rs225000/- for professionals and is the only tournament of the country which provides an opportunity to the amateurs to get real gold and silver medals while a car will also be awarded to the first player achieving hole-in one.

A total record of 250 entries, in different categories professionals, amateurs, veterans, pro-veterans, ladies and boys Under-14 have been received.

The championship will be played over 72 holes, cut for professionals after 18 holes (best 50 and tie), 36 holes best 40 and tie which included handicap 13-18 over 36 holes will be played on April 8 to 9.

The veterans (50 and above), boys Under-14 and ladies event will also be played over 36 holes.

He said the championship will be governed by the rules of Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, England, as well as the local rules for which a committee was also constituted to make the event flawless.