LAHORE-The 4th JA Zaman Memorial Open Golf Championship, which teed off Thursday here at Lahore Gymkhana course, is a step forward towards promotion of golf.

Chief organiser of the tournament Hamid Khan said this while addressing a press conference. Director media Kh Pervez Saeed, Mustafa Zaman, Bilal Zaman, Waleed Zaman and Omer Zaman were also present on the occasion.

Hamid, son of late golf icon JA zaman, said this prestigious golf activity offered a total cash prize of Rs 1.5 million and two Honda City Cars for hole in one feat. “The friends of JA Zaman at Gymkhana remember him as a keen lover of golf and a man of character and dignity.”

It is primarily a championship for the top golf professionals of Pakistan and also has events for senior professionals, junior professionals, amateurs, senior amateurs, veterans and ladies. All those competing in the championship vie for generous purses and honors in their respective categories of events at stake.

Hamid said the money collected from the participating players as participation fees would be used to hold a golf competition for the caddies next week and the top performers among them would be given cash prizes.

Khawaja Pervaiz said all this was taking place through collaboration between the Zaman Family and the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Club. “This Open Golf Championship has become an integral part of the Annual Golf Calendar of Pakistan and the 2017 event will be the fourth continuous one to be competed by golf champions. In all, 100 professionals will be locking horns for attain glory during the four-day event.”

“The total prize money of the event is Rs 1.1 million, which will be distributed among the professionals, who achieve top 30 positions and ties. The first 10 position-holder senior professionals will get share from total prize purse of Rs 200,000 while top 10 junior professionals will also get their share from Rs 200,000,” he added.