Daily Times

LAHORE: For the top performing 54 professionals of the national golf circuit, who survived the cut in the inaugural President Open Golf Championship in progress at the PAF Skyview Golf Course here, the chances of earning cash rewards look buoyant and career boosting prospects are affirmation oriented. And why not, for after all they have impressed with their golf playing capabilities and secured good positions for themselves while 46 of their playing mates failed in their endeavors and stand ineligible to play the final round on Wednesday (today).

As for the flow of play during the second round on Tuesday, Muhammad Shahzad of Lahore Garrison played assertively enough to remain a leader after 36 holes. Aspiring for the high pedestal of a champion golf professional, this ambitious contender applied his golfing skills firmly and vehemently and thereby holding onto the top slot on the leaderboard. Backed by a first rate gross 68 in the first round on Monday and an unruffled gross 71 on Tuesday, he managed a two rounds aggregate of 139, five under par. And just one stroke behind him was the thunderous one of Pakistan golf, Muhammad Shabbir with 200 golf titles to his credit, at a two rounds aggregate score of 140. Also placed at 140 was Muhammad Naeem of Peshawar. And Mohammad Naeem realized this frontline position with a perfection oriented round that fetched him the remarkable score of gross 66 and that added to his first round 74, brought him at par with second placed Shabbir.

Out of the other combatants, M Zubair (Karachi Golf Club) and Muhammad Asif (Defence Raya) produced rounds of excellence on the second day, playing solid game from tee to the green, avoiding blemishes and staying on money earning target. They were bracketed at a score of 143 and four strokes behind the leader Shahzad. Placed together at a two rounds aggregate score of 144 were Usman Ali and Kashif Masih (Lahore Garrison), Abdul Zahoor (Multan), Jafal Hussain (Gymkhana) and Waheed Baloch (Karachi). And at 145 were Minhaj Maqsood, M Naqas, M Alam, M Saqib, Mudassir Iqbal and Shahid Javed Khan.