Daily Times

LAHORE: There is excitement all around amongst the top golf professionals of Pakistan. Outstanding golf professionals of the country are all prepared to match wits with thirty one leading golf champions of the Asian Development Tour.

M Shabbir Iqbal represents the best in Pakistan and others eager to show their playing might under international conditions are M Munir, M Matloob, Shahid Javed Khan, M Talib and 55 others. Within the country these 60 top ranked golfers of the country have carved out a place for themselves in the Pakistan Golf Circuit while competing against each other and now they get an opportunity to show their ability in the presence of the skilled ones of the Asian Development Tour.

Pannakorn Uthaipas of Thailand is a top performer of the Asian Tour and has arrived in Lahore to show what he is capable of, in this championship to be held at the fabulous Defence Raya Golf Course where the playing facilities match the best in Asia. Uthaipas is the leader of the Asia Development Tour by virtue of his earnings and performance in this championship which carries prize money of $120,000.
This champion was heartened by the warm welcome he got in Pakistan and looked forward to a stunning show at the impressive Defence Raya Golf Course. Pannakorn won his first ADT title at the Taifong Open in Chinese Taipei in June and he will be aiming for a second victory in Pakistan after finishing second in Malaysia last week.

Talking about his career progress he said: “When I first turned professional, I never thought I will be playing in Pakistan but there is a first time for everything. When we arrived at the airport, we felt so welcome. I’m really looking forward to the week,” said the big-hitting Thai.

Other leading players competing in this championship are Japan’s Takahashi who hopes to continue his fine form as he searches for a third ADT title. He won his second title in August in Malaysia to end a four-year title drought and qualified for the Japan Golf Tour Qualifying School final stage after a successful outing at third stage last week. “I want to be the Order of Merit winner. And to do that, I need to finish number three or number two here. Of course if I win that will be even better,” Takahashi smiled. “I feel comfortable here. We have a nice hotel and the people are friendly, I think it will be a good week.”

The flamboyant Wang, who won the Charming Yeangder ADT in July, hopes to cement his position inside the top-five on the Order of Merit with a good result this week. All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale. The leading five players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2018 season.

Published in Daily Times, November 1^st 2017.