Golf tournament hosted

Islamabad : The Serena Hotels and Rawalpindi Golf Club (RGC) hosted the Annual Invitational Golf Tournament at Rawalpindi Golf Club as part of its sports diplomacy initiative marking the resumption of events after a long hiatus due to COVID-19-induced lockdown.

Chief of Logistics Staff Lt. Gen. Azhar Saleh Abbasi was the chief guest on the occasion. The tournament drew more than 80 golf enthusiasts from the military high command, diplomatic corps, foreign dignitaries, corporate and business sectors which included women golfers.

CEO of the Serena Hotels (South and Central Asia) Aziz Boolani said it was the first event to be organised after the COVID-19 lockdown period, and many more were being planned.

He thanked the RGC and participants for their enthusiastic participation and excellent turnout.

The dignitaries and participants expressed pleasure at the chance of competing in pleasant environs of the Rawalpindi Golf Club, where the organisers were fully compliant with COVID-19 protocols.

The winners in various categories included Maj. Gen. Tariq Qaddus and Maj. Haider Amjad (Ist Net), Maj. Gen. (r) Tariq Saleem Malik and Lt. Col. Tariq Yaqoob (1st Gross) in the Amateur Category, Dato Mahmud Saidin (1st Gross) and Aamir Shaukat (1st Net) in Diplomatic Category, Tahira Nazir (1st Gross) and Hussain Bano (1st Net) in Ladies Category, Aftab Ahmed (1st Gross) and Alamgir Shah (1st Net) in Corporate Category while the longest drive award went to Imran Janjua and closet to pin Haseeb Sultan. Aamir Shaukat was also awarded for a Hole in One.

The Serena Hotels routinely organizes and sponsors sports activities like squash, tennis, hiking, polo, skiing etc. under its sports and adventure diplomacy banners to enhance well-being and enable sharing of the joys of sports.