Daily Times

LAHORE: The four-days national golf trials to select a four-member (including one reserve) national team for participation in the Nomura Cup Asia Pacific Amateur Golf Championship, scheduled for November in Philippines, concluded at the grand Sir Nick Faldo-designed Rumanza Golf Course in Multan on Monday. And interestingly, the concluding moments were full of twists and turns which culminated in sixteen year old school boy Saad Habib Malik of Rumanza Golf Club appearing lustrous and radiant through a combative performance that can be graded as exceptionally outstanding.

All through the final 18 holes yesterday, Saad exhibited high caliber golfing expertise and his command and control can be gauged from the fact that he had regulation pars on the concluding five holes (from 13th to 17th hole ) and on the finishing 18th hole he hit a marvelous bunker shot to score an exquisite par. His score of gross 73 on the final day was a fascinating effort and backed by previous three rounds scores of 74, 74 and 71 gave him a meritorious aggregate of 292, four over par for four days plus a masterful first position in the national trials.

In the final standings, Syed Saim Shazli of Karachi got selected with four rounds scores of 69, 77, 73 and 74 and an aggregate of 293 and he lost the top position to Saad by a margin of one stroke. The double bogie on the concluding 18th hole turned out to be a spoiler. Another young one who made it to the national team was Damil Ataullah of Lahore Garrison who played the trials with ample grace and resoluteness. His four rounds scores were 73, 74, 77 and 73 and the four rounds aggregate added up to 297. The five aspirants ended up at a score of 301 were Qasim Ali Khan (Lahore Gymkhana), Hussain Hamid (Royal Palm Club), Osama Nadeem (Ibex), Salman Jahangir (Lahore Gymkhana) and Rao Hassan (Rawalpindi). Out of these five, Qasim gots selected as the reserve player as he had better scores in the last two rounds. The Pakistan national team comprises Saad Habib, Syed Saim Shazli, Damil Ataullah and Qasim Ali Khan (reserve).

As for the race for selection amongst senior amateurs, the trials were held over three rounds and noticeable was the fortitude and grittiness between the competing seniors. In the end, Raja Asif Mehdi achieved the top slot while Tariq Mehmood was second, Omar Javed Zia came third and Maj Shoaibuddin was fourth. These four senior champions will now represent Pakistan in the Asia Pacific Senior Amateur Golf Championship.