LAHORE: Longest drive competitions on the opening day of Pakistan’s 62nd National Amateur Golf Championship, also featuring a number of foreign players, are held here at Lahore Gymkhana on Wednesday while all other main events tee off on Thursday.

Though invitations for the four-day championship had been extended to Bangladesh, Nepal, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Qatar, the first two countries did not send any player despite announcing their teams for the event.

From Egypt two golfers were expected to come but only one arrived while from Qatar two female golfers were scheduled to compete but only Nida came to Pakistan. From Sri Lanka, three contestants have arrived.

“From Egypt we have only Mr Deen Ali who is likely to prove a threat,” a spokesman of the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) said.

“From Qatar we have so far one lady golfer, Nida, while another lady is expected late at night, but not confirmed.

“Bangladesh and Nepal had committed to come but did not arrive as their government clearance was not available,” the spokesman added.

Therefore, in this scenario there will be competitions only between Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the team’s event and the Jayewardene Trophy, named after a former president of Sri Lanka.

The participating Sri Lankan players who hold impressive skills include M.H.C. Push­pika, R.A.U. Akash and M.U. Chanaka Perera.

From Pakistan, promising teenagers like Omar Khalid and Saad Habib face a tough challenge from experienced campaigners like Qasim Ali Khan, Salman Jehangir, Hussain Hamid and Saim Shazli.

Eligibility for participation is a handicap of seven and below. The individual amateur championship it will be held over 72 holes, from Thursday.

Ladies compete over 54 holes, starting on Friday while senior amateurs also fight it out over three rounds.

Only the Inter-Association Team Match for men and men’s seniors will be over 36 holes, starting from Thursday. The Match for J.R .The Jayewardene Trophy takes place between

the teams of Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Thursday while the two-day International Team Match will be contested on Thursday and Friday.

The list of aspirants seeking acclaim and exaltation through masterly golf is long.

From Sindh, the potential players are Syed Yashal Shah, Omer Sheikhoo and Arsalan Sheikhoo. Remarkable ones from the Federal Golf Association are Umer Khokher, Umair Saleem and Ahmed Zafar. Formidable contenders from Punjab include the likes of Nouman Ilyas, Mohammed Arsalan and Rafay Raja while the Balochistan Golf Association is well represented by Asif Khan, Muslim Abbas and Basit Ali.

In the ladies section, notable participants are Parkha Ijaz, Rimsha Ijaz, Suneya Osama and Syeda Iman Ali Shah.

Senior amateurs who stand out as prime challengers include Col. M. Shafi, Shafiq Bhatti, Asif Mehdi and Tariq Mehmood.

Meanwhile, the winners of the longest drive competitions could not be decided as scores of several players were identical. Therefore, a play-off round will be held on Thursday to decide the winner.

Earlier, the National Golf Championship was declared open by Shaukat Javed, the convenor golf of Lahore Gymkhana.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2023