KARACHI - Pakistan Open Golf, carrying a whooping cash purse of Rs 5.5 million, explode into action from November 19 here at the Airmen Golf Club, a top official of Sindh Golf Association (SGA) announced on Monday.
“We have been given the responsibility by Pakistan Golf Federation to supervise this prestigious event,” President of SGA Asad IA Khan said and added the event could not be held due to different reason, but the SGA took challenge to hold it in a grand fashion. “This is the most important event of SGA calendar that would be attracting cream of Pakistan’s amateur and from amateur fraternity.”
He hoped over 200 golfers would be featuring in all the events. “This is Pakistan’s major event being staged at the recently raised picturesque golf club near the shores of Arabian Sea. Professionals, senior pros and juniors pros will be taking part in the championship. Top pros will be appearing in 72-hole competition while senior pros and junior pros will feature in 36-hole event. Rs four million have been allocated for professionals. One million for senior professionals while Rs.500,000 will be up for grab in junior pros. M Ali Hai will be defending his title in the amateur event.”
M Nazir, younger brother of Pakistan’s ace golfer M Munir, stunned the big names in 2013 to win the title here at the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club. However, ace pros like country’s number one Shabbir Iqbal, M Munir, Matloob Ahmed, Waheed Baloch, M Tariq, Amjad Yousuf, Imdad Hussain, Amjad Yousuf, Shafiq Masih host of other fighter representing clubs from twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Gujranwala, Hyderabad and elsewhere will be battling to win the crown.
Asad said ahead of the event an 18-hole event will be held on November 18 for “B” category golfers to qualify for the Pakistan Open. Only amateur with handicap of eight and below will be eligible for the amateur competition. The country’s top 30 golfers have been given direct entry in the competition while 58 more golfers will qualify for the main event.