Ahmed Baig wins CAS Open Golf title by big margin

KARACHI: PAF’s Ahmed Baig on Sunday underlined his status as the most exciting young professional golfer in the country when he won the prestigious CAS Open Golf Championship in an emphatic manner here at the windswept Airmen Golf Club.

The Lahore-based Ahmed overcame the elements in the final round of the Rs8.2 million championship on Sunday as he sank a series of birdies to finish the event with a superb card of six-under-par 66.

With all of his nearest competitors struggling in the face of a strong breeze, Ahmed’s final round heroics were more than enough to give him the coveted title. He finished the four-day championship with an aggregate of -10, winning it by a whopping eight strokes.

Pakistan No. 1 Shabbir Iqbal, who began the final round in second place just one solitary stroke behind Ahmed, was unable to give his best when it mattered most. He carded a final round score of 73 to finish in a joint second place.

It was the equally experienced Muhammad Munir, who finished as the runner-up alongside Shabbir, with a final round score of 72. Both finished with unimpressive aggregate of -2. While the likes of Shabbir and Munir were unable to rise to the occasion in the final round, Ahmed was in top gear throughout the fourth day. There was nothing spectacular about Ahmed’s front nine as he had a bogey on the second hole before managing birdies on holes 6 and 9 to finish with one-under 35. But it was on the back nine where Ahmed was in his element. He made back-to-back birdies on holes 10 and 11 followed by three more on holes 13, 16 and 18 to finish the back nine with a stunning score of 31.

He received his winner’s cheque and trophy from Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, who was the chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony. Other prize winners included Air Marshal Javad Saeed, who won the invitational event. Air Cmdre Ikram Noor was the runner-up. Wing Commander Atif Hussain Khan won the AGC members event. Group Captain Aftab A Khan won in the veteran category.