LAHORE: The much acclaimed, admired, esteemed and avidly awaited 8th JA Zaman Memorial Open Golf Championship is starting at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course here from Friday (today). Over the next three days, the best golf players of the country will be seen in action. Addressing a press conference, Sarmad Nadeem, convener golf, said: “This grand event is supported by Zaman Family and it stimulates the morale of the golf professionals of the country as they consider it a reassuring and nurturing support to their livelihood. Prize money of Rs 4.1 million on offer is certainly uplifting and the well-established professional golf players as well as those seeking higher pedestals solicit participation with a yearning for performing in an outstanding manner.” Also present on the occasion were Hamid Zaman, Omar Zaman, Taimoor Shabbir and Aayan Mumtaz. Hamid spelled out that this championship was in memory of the iconic symbol JA Zaman, a man of immense self esteem and a passion for golf which he played and regularly engaged in at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course for over half a century. Hamid further added that the family was planning to make this championship the biggest golf event of the country and also go international and ultimately join hands with Asian Tour. Star players of the national golf circuit like Shabbir Iqbal, M Matloob, Ahmed Baig, Hamza Amin and Muhammad Munir have all converged to Gymkhana Golf Course and all feel resolute about excellence in application of golfing skills and coming up with champion like scores.