KARACHI, June 29: Defending champion Shabbir Iqbal maintained his consistent run to grab a seven-stroke lead after the second round of the 17th Chief of the Naval Staff Open Golf Championship at the Karachi Golf Club on Friday.

The 35-year-old Navy golfer, who shared the top slot with Matloob Ahmed after first round, carded a five under par 67 to emerge as the sole leader with a two-day aggregate of eight under 136.

Nadeem Inayat of the KGC, who played a par first round and was placed joint fourth with Peshawar’s Khalid Khan overnight, shot one under 71 to surge into second position with one under 143.

One stroke further behind are former champions Mohammad Munir of Islamabad and Abid Rana of the KGC.

Holder Sajid Khan of Arabian Sea Country Club (ASCC) and country’s ace golfer Mohammad Ali Hai are tied for the top slot in the amateurs’ gross category at the completion of second round.

Both have a two-day aggregate of four over 148.

Lying on their heels a stroke behind is Islamabad’s young Mubariz Ahmed who finished runner-up last year.

Asif Ahmed and Sajid Khan jointly lead the pack in the amateurs’ net category with a two-day aggregate of two under 142.

Meanwhile, the remaining events tee off on Saturday.

Leader board after second round:

Pros:

136 – Shabbir Iqbal (Islamabad) 69, 67. 143 – Nadeem Inayat (KGC) 72, 71. 144 – Mohammad Munir (Islamabad) 73, 71; Abid Rana (KGC) 70, 74. 145 – Shafiq Masih (Gymkhana) 71, 74; Mohammad Tahir (Gymkhana) 70, 75. 146 – Talib Hussain (Islamabad) 77, 69; Ali Asghar (Islamabad) 74, 72; Amjad Yousuf (KGC) 73, 73; Matloob Ahmed (LGC) 69, 77. Amateurs: 148 - Sajid Khan (ASCC) 75, 73; Mohammad Ali Hai (KGC) 74, 74. 149 – Mubariz Ahmed (Islamabad) 75, 74. 152 – Mohammad Rehman (RPG). 154 – Ghazanfar Mehmood (Rawalpindi) 80, 74; M. Waseem Rana (DHA) 78, 76. 155 – Roban Bagh (IBX) 82, 73; Zohaib Asif (DHA) 78, 77. 156 – Asif Ahmed (KGC) 80, 76.