KARACHI: Country’s most accomplished professional golfer Shabbir Iqbal look determined to retain the title as he held firm grip after the second round of the Coca Cola 18th Sindh Open Golf Championship at the Arabian Sea Country Club on Saturday.

After setting a course record by firing 10 under 62 in the first round of the 54-hole event on Friday, Shabbir shot five under 67 to seize a five strokes lead over Shahid Javed Khan who was impressive with six under 66 in the second round.

Shabbir, whose two rounds aggregate is 15 under 129, recorded six birdies, three on front nine and as many on back nine, besides 11 pars and a bogey on hole three.

Challenger Shahid of the Royal Palm Club is at 10 under 134 and two shots ahead of duo of Waheed Baloch and Talat Ijaz who are at 136.

At 138, six under par, are Abid Rana and M. Munir

Meanwhile, veteran Imdad Hussain won the senior pros title by three shots with a two-round cumulative of 136, eight under par. His two rounds scores were 67 and 69.

M. Akram finished runner-up with five under 139 the scores being 67 and 72.

Meanwhile, Zeeshan Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa carded one over 76 to earn a one shot lead over Syed Bilal Hussain of Multan in the junior pros.

As many as 24 golfers teed off in the first round of junior pros and a cut on top 10 was applied in the evening.

The three-day event concludes on Sunday.

Leader board after second round:

Pros:

129 — Shabbir Iqbal (Islamabad) 62, 67

134 — Shahid Javed Khan (Royal Palm) 68, 66

136 — Waheed Baloch (KGC) 69, 67; Talat Ijaz (Lahore Gymkhana) 69, 67

138 — Abid Rana (KGC) 65, 73; M. Munir (Islamabad) 69, 69

139 — Ashfaq Rusi (AGC) 68, 71; Shaquil Mangol (PGF) 70, 69; Khalid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 70, 69; Matloob Ahmed (Gymkhana) 71, 68

140 — Ahmed Saeed (KGC) 68, 72; Shafiq Masih (Gymkhana) 72, 68

Senior pros:

136 — Imdad Hussain (LGC) 67, 69

139 — M. Akram (Lahore Gymkhana) 67, 72

Junior pros:

76 — Zeeshan Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

77 — Syed Bilal Hussain (Multan).

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2016