51st National Amateur Golf Championship
Pakistan retain J.R. Jaywardene TrophyStaff Report
LAHORE: Ali Hai and Wasim Rana played a spectacular round of golf to help Pakistan retain the J.R. Jayawardene Trophy against Sri Lanka in the 51st National Amateur Golf Championship at the Royal Palm Club Golf Course on Saturday.
The Pakistani team looked confident and did not seem to be awed by N Thangaraja's amazing round a day earlier. Wasim Rana produced a decent score of 73, while Ali Hai chipped in with 76 to give Pakistan a winning aggregate of 149 compared to Sri Lanka’s 152. Thangaraja scored 73 for Sri Lanka but his teammate N Ranga produced a poor score of 79 to erode his side’s chances in the contest.
The other event on Saturday was the Inter Association Team Match, contested over three rounds between the four provincial teams. The match turned out to be a thriller after Sindh and Punjab ended up level on scores. The Punjab Team, comprising Mohammed Rehman, Ghazanfar Mehmood, Sardar Murad and Khalid Mehmood, and the Sindh Team consisting of Sajid Khan, Asif Ahmed, Wasim Rana and Ali Hai ended up with aggregate scores of 670.
The winner had to be decided through a playoff between one nominated player from each side – Mohammad Rehman and Wasim Rana. Rehman showed more nerve and won the playoff on the first hole with a birdie, while Wasim bogeyed the hole, to the immense delight of the Punjab Team and their supporters, which included Honorary Secretary of Punjab Golf Association Brig Akram.
Sri Lanka’s Thangaraja held the lead after three rounds in the quest for the individual title with an aggregate score of 215. Wasim Rana headed the chasing pack with a score of 217 followed by Dulal Hossain (Bangladesh) on 218, Ashiq Hussain on 219, Ali Hai on 222 and Mohammad Rehman on 223.
Thangaraja was upbeat about his chances going into the final day. "I like the Royal Palm Golf Course very much and though I didn’t play as amazingly as I did in the second round, I must admit the fairways are great and shot making is crisp and mostly a delight and I look forward to a great round on Sunday,” Thangaraja told reporters.
Pakistan’s Ali Hai said he would go all out on the final day, despite being seven strokes behind Thangaraja. "I know the going will be tough on the final day but because of the experience the mindset adapts to it and mentally you get ready for it, and that is how I feel and aim to go for the charge and even if the birdies are replaced by lost strokes, there will be no regret,” Hai said.
In the ladies competition defending champion Ghazala Yasmin was on top of the leaderboard with an aggregate score of 168 over two rounds. However, promising youngster Kashifa Zafar, was just one stroke behind on an aggregate score of 169.
Leaderboard
N Thangraja (Sri Lanka) 74+68+73=215
Wasim Rana (Pakistan) 73+71+73=217
MD Dulal Hossain (Bangladesh)
71+71+76=218
Ashiq Hussain (Multan) 71+73+75=219
Ali Hai (Pakistan) 70+76+76=222
Mohammad Rehman (Pakistan)
72+77+74=223
N Ranga (Sri Lanka) 72+72+79=223
MD Sajid Ali (Bangladesh) 75+72+77=224
Ghazanfar Mehmood (Pakistan)
72+75+77=224
Sajid Khan (Arabian Sea) 73+79+79=231
