Pakistan to host Asian Tour golf event first time after 2018

KARACHI: In what will likely be one of many richest sports activities occasions in Pakistan’s historical past, the CNS-Pakistan Golf Championship will happen on the Karachi Golf Membership (KGC) in December for the primary time since 2018 as a part of the Asian Tour contest, with a whopping prize purse of $500,000.

A senior KGC official confirmed to The Information on Friday that the Asian Tour has included the CNS-Pakistan Open in its calendar and the occasion will happen from December 1-4.

The CNS-Pakistan Open will mark the nation’s return to the Asian Tour for the primary time since 2018 when the $300,000 UMA-CNS Open was staged on the KGC.

Pakistan will as soon as once more determine on the Asian Tour map for the primary time in 4 years with the biggest-ever prize basket within the nation’s historical past. On the present change price, the prize cash will likely be near Rs100 million, making it essentially the most profitable sports activities occasion in Pakistan historical past.

“It is nice information that the CNS-Pakistan will likely be performed at KGC in December with a prize purse of $500,000,” stated Commodore Ghazanfar Abbas, KGC’s Chief Working Officer.

Contemplating an elevated prize purse, it’s anticipated that Asia’s top-notch professionals will characteristic within the CNS-Pakistan Open.

Based on Commodore Ghazanfar, t was on the directions of Chief of Naval Employees (CNS) Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi that efforts have been made to place Pakistan again on the Asian Tour map.

Admiral Niazi, who’s an avid golfer, introduced on the prize distribution ceremony of final 12 months’s CNS Open that the 2022 version of the CNS Open will likely be a part of the Asian Tour.

Based on the plan, the CNS-Pakistan Open will likely be a part of a week-long {golfing} pageant to be held from November 28 to December 4 that may also embody a Professional-Am match previous the principle championship.

In 2018, Thailand’s Tirawat Kaewsiribandit received the Asian Tour title at KGC.

Professionals from 18 nations featured within the four-day UMA-CNS Open championship and the sector included not less than 5 former Asian Tour winners. The gamers have been from nations like India, Singapore, USA, Austria, Spain, Serbia, Australia, England, Argentina, South Africa and Venezuela.

It was in 1989 that Pakistan grew to become a part of the previous Asian circuit. The occasion was held at KGC with Filipino star Frankie Minoza profitable the title.

Earlier than 2018, Pakistan hosted back-to-back Asian Tour occasions at KGC in 2006 and 2007. England’s Chris Rodgers received the 2006 occasion forward of India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and Amandeep Johl. In 2007 Malaysia’s Airil Rizman claimed his maiden Asian Tour title with a two stroke overcome Scott Hend of Australia.

Pakistan have produced just one Asian Tour winner previously following Taimur Hussain’s success on the 1998 Myanmar Open. In 2018, Islamabad’s Muhammad Munir got here shut however needed to take care of a third-place end behind two Thai gamers.