LAHORE-The five-day Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) Match Play Golf Championship 2020 entered the quarterfinal stage after the completion of three rounds here at par 72 Royal Palm Golf Course on Friday.
The match play golf contests represent many moments of excitement as the skilled ones are matched in one-to-one fight and difference in playing caliber is minimal indeed. But to achieve success, the victorious one has to manage nerves besides demonstrate excellent application of golfing skills. All the top ranked players stayed on the winning march on Friday. 
M Munir (Rawalpindi) beat Arif Ali (PTV) in the opening match while Muhammad Shahzad (Garrison) beat M Rehman (Royal Palm), Talat Ijaz (Gymkhana) beat Muhammad Saeed (Royal Palm), Talib Hussain (Islamabad) beat Usman Ali (Garrison), Muhammad Alam (Defence Raya) beat Suleman Akhter (Gymkhana), M Tariq (Islamabad) beat Matloob Ahmed (Garrison), M Shabbir(Islamabad) beat Syed Raza Ali (PAF Skyview) and Ahmed Baig (PAF Skyview beat Kamran Shafiq (Gymkhana). 
The only upset of the day was the loss of Matloob Ahmed, the super one of Pakistan to the lesser known M Tariq. Only eight professionals will compete in the quarterfinals today (Saturday) as the lineup will be Munir vs Shahzad; Talat vs Talib; Alam vs Tariq and Shabbir vs Ahmed. All these eight professionals enjoy a class of their own and the urge to overcome a mighty adversary will be strong indeed. 
In the amateurs category, the triumphant ones were Qasim Ali Khan (Gymkhana), Syed Shaim Shazli (Karachi Golf Club), Hussain Hamid (Royal Palm), Danish Javed (Gymkhana), Salman Jehangir (Gymkhana), Nasir Irshad (Gymkhana), Muhammad Arsalan (Gymkhana) and Capt Zain (KHR). The lineup for quarterfinals today will be Qasim vs Saim; Hussain vs Danish; Salman vs Zain and Nasir vs Arsalan.