KARACHI: When Minhaj Maqsood bogeyed the first hole in the second round of the Sindh Governor’s Cup Golf Championship here at the DHA Golf Club on Friday, it seemed like the little-known golfer would be usurped by his more illustrious rivals at the top of the leaderboard.

The overnight leader, though, made sure that didn’t happen. Minhaj fired five birdies in a three-under 69 and leads the inaugural edition of the championship at its halfway point at nine-under 135.

Four shots adrift are two of the country’s top golfers — Shabbir Iqbal (70) and Matloob Ahmed, who hit seven birdies in a stunning six-under 66.

Sunny Masih’s second successive round of 70 sees him a stroke further adrift at 140, one ahead of Waheed Baloch (70) and Dilshad Ali (71).

The country’s latest golf sensation Ahmed Baig (69) is at 142 alongside Mohammad Zubair (70). They are a shot ahead of Arif Ali (69), Mohammad Shahzad (69) and Mohammad Imran (72).

Mohammad Tariq (72) and Mohammad Alam (70) are at even-par after two rounds while Mohammad Munir, another of Pakistan’s top golfing stars, finds himself at one-over after firing seven birdies for a 66 to rebound from a disastrous first-round 79.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2021