By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Oct 10 (APP): Mohammad Shabbir the number one ranked golf professional of the country and a champion who has won 180 golf titles over the past 15 years has once again emerged as the finalist in this Pakistan Golf Federation Match Play Golf Championship 2020 here at the wonderful Royal Palm Golf Course.
Match Play competition format in this five days golf championships has its own combative appeal and even classy players find it burdensome plus stressful as success can only be achieved through excellence in skills application as well as a check on nerves.
And how capably well Shabbir showed a dominating presence during the quarter final against the very young but hugely talented Ahmed Baig of PAF Skyview Golf Club and thereafter in the semifinal against the upcoming Mohammad Alam of Defence Raya on Saturday.
Shabbir literally intimidated Ahmed Baig in the 18 holes match play encounter, winning the match with ease although against M. Alam he had to hit and putt extraordinarily well to cow down this likely champion of the future. M.Shabbir will now face his resolute old rival Mohammad Munir in the 36 holes final on Sunday.
As for the other matches Munir faced tenacious resistance from his adversary Mohammad Shahzad of Garrison Golf Club in the quarter final whom he beat on the 21st hole M. Shahzad was able to match wits with his far more experienced opponent and stayed assured and settled throughout the match play contest and lost after giving Munir a fright.
Certainly Shahzad looks like a good hope for the future. And for Munir the struggle did not end there.
In the semifinal his opponent Talat Ijaz of Gymkhna proved to be unwavering and unyielding and the match play contest went on and on.
After the completion of 18 holes Munir and Talat were level and in accordance with rules the match went into sudden death. Nineteenth hole was again leveled and son were the 20th,21st and 22nd.
The match finally ended in Munirs favor on the 23rd hole as Talat finally lost.It will be a memorable contest and though Talat will feel dismayed over this loss he proved that he is a great fighter.
In the amateur category Salman Jehangir (Gymkhana) and Qasim Ali Khan (Gymkhana) ended up as the finalists and will face each other in a 36 holes match play contest on Sunday.This is a great honor for these two youngsters.
In the quarter finals Salman beat Capt Zain and then in the semifinals he beat Nasir Irshad. Qasim reached the finals after beating Syed Saim Shazli from Karachi and later he beat Hussain Hamid of Royal Palm.
It goes to the credit of the Organizing Team of Pakistan Golf Federation comprising Col (r) Zahid and Jameel Khalid who conducted this championship superbly.
Tomorrow, Sunday is the final day and at the conclusion of the PGF Match Play Championship 2020, the prize distribution will be held in the evening at 445.P.M. at Royal Palm Golf Club lawns.
The chief guest of the evening is Lt. Gen (r) Muzzamil Hussain, Chairman WAPDA.
Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
