The 10th JA Zaman Memorial Open Golf Championship, under the aegis of Zaman Family, will be held at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Club from February 23 to March 3 here. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Hamid Zaman, Head of the Zaman Family, said the JA Zaman Memorial Championship — a PGA and PGF-sanctioned tournament — had evolved to become one of the biggest golf events nationwide with total prize money of Rs.7.5 million. Also present on the occasion were Shaukat Javed, Convenor Golf of Lahore Gymkhana, AAyan Mumtaz, Bilal Zaman, Asim Zafar, Ayesha Hamid and Mrs Bela Azam. “The championship attracts the top golfing talent from across the country and is one of the most anticipated matchups of the golfing calendar in Pakistan,” he added. The salient features of this 2024 edition are: top 100 ranked golf professionals of Pakistan will compete in the main draw from February 23 to March 3 making it one of the most competitive fields in golf across the country. The championship also includes nationally recognized golf amateur players who compete for glory and honors in victory. Total prize money of Rs.7.5 million and a chance to win a HAVAL car on a hole-in-one makes the championship one of the top purses in Pakistan golf. Eight categories of players including juniors, women, professionals, senior professionals, junior professionals, amateurs and veteran golfers will compete in the championship. The championship is held in the memory of iconic symbol Mr JA Zaman who was a man of infinite decorum and grace. He left behind an indelible impact of his entrepreneurial abilities and his passion for golf in particular. JA Zaman’s family, which is the principal sponsor of this championship, is pleased to make possible, with the gracious cooperation of the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Committee, such a prestigious event where, no doubt, only the best of the sport will be showcased. It is pertinent to mention that Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course is one of the oldest golf courses in Pakistan tracing its origin to the 19th century. It is an 18 holes championship course, with a par 72 spread over 65 acres. It is a tree lined course demanding excellence and accuracy from start to finish. The final round will take place on Sunday March 3, followed by the prize distribution. Notable champions participating in the championship are professionals Ahmed Baig, Muhammad Matloob, Muhammad Shahzad, Hamza Amin, Muhammad Alam, Mihaj Maqsood and prominent amateurs Qasim Ali Khan, Salman Jehangir and Muhammad Shoaib. As for women, Parkha Ijaz and Rimsha Ijaz, who enjoy a standing in World Golf Rankings, will also be showing their skills in the women’s section.