Daily Times

LAHORE: The 39th Punjab Open Golf Championship is in progress at the PAF Skyview Golf Course here and represents the start of the annual golfing season after months of hibernation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Golf champions of the country comprising professionals, amateurs, senior professionals, senior amateurs, junior golf professionals and also women golfers seem pleased and cheered up with this happening and expressed gratitude to Shahid Wahab Rao of the Punjab Golf Association and Air Commodore (r) Muhammad Tariq of the PAF Skyview Golf Club for providing them an opportunity to return to highly competitive golfing activity. To ensure adherence to COVID-19 related procedures the championship is spread over five days from 23rd September to 27th September with first two days earmarked for senior amateur event and ladies event and final three days starting from Friday (today) reserved for the recognized champions in the professional and amateur categories and also senior professionals.

At the end of the first two days, senior amateur and women events concluded with Rustam Peracha emerging as the glorified one in the senior amateur section. Rustam won the senior amateur title with the help of a brilliant performance on Thursday through a remarkable round of gross 70, two under par which enabled him to prevail over seasoned players like Asif Mehdi and Tariq Mehmood .The contest was sharp edged and while Rustam managed a two days aggregate score of 157, Asif and Tariq ended at an aggregate score of 158. All in all it was a fierce fight for supremacy and the victor was Rustam.

In the women’s section, it was pleasing to see Parkha Ijaz, Suneya Osama and Laiba Shah performing to perfection. They seem to have recovered from days of idleness and brought to the fore golfing skills and expertise they are known for. The winner in the gross section was Parkha with two rounds scores of 78 and 76 and an aggregate of 154. Two rounds scores of Suneya were 80 and 77 and aggregate for two days was 157. As for Laiba, she came up with an outstanding show in the net category, her scores being net 62 and 64. And with a net aggregate of 126, she outshone her adversaries.