ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The COAS Open Championship with an enhanced prize purse of Rs 400,000 is set to tee off at the Rawalpindi Golf Club from Thursday.

The event would be contested in seven different categories with amateurs having handicap of 12 and below competing for the main trophy.

Col (Retd) M. Jamil of the RGC, told a press conference that the amateurs competition will be contested over 54 holes, 18 holes each day starting from Friday through to Sunday, the last day of the championship.

Hamza Amin, son the famous golfer Taimur Hasan, will be defending his crown in the amateur competition while on the professional side Tahir Naseem will be bidding to stay champion.

The professionals, who will also be competing over 54 holes are to begin with the qualifying round from Thursday. As many as 60 golfers would then start off for the main competition that offers a prize money of Rs 350,000, the champion taking home approximately Rs 60,000.

There would also be competition for senior professionals 50 years of age or above vying for honours over 36 holes. Senior amateurs (above 55) with a handicap of 18 and below would also be contesting over 36 holes.

Ladies would also be playing over 36 holes with the competition open for those having a handicap of 36 and below. A subsidiary match (13 to 18 handicap) is also planned while juniors, under 14 years of age would also get an opportunity to play.

The organisers said that the greens had been very well maintained and the course was as beautiful as ever. “The professionals who played here in the run-up to the championship have also praised the condition of the course,” Jamil said.