Dania Saeed has clinched the title in the SGA Ladies Amateur Golf Championship 2023 that concluded at the DHA Golf Club.
The competition included junior, senior and amateur golfers. In category-A, first two position holders were two sisters; Dania Saeed (first) and Abiha Saeed (second) while third position was achieved by Sania Osama. In category-B, junior U-14 golfers Alina Fawaz Ahmed and Meher Maqbool impressed everyone with their exciting game. According to the event’s gross score, Alina was winner and Meher Maqbool runner-up while Eman Shaikh Ali got third position.
In net scoring, Yumna got first, Amal Shaikh Ali second and Almeerah Shaikh third position. In senior ladies category gross, Nida Huq was winner in gross and Ayesha Hamid in net. Dr Asma Shami got recognized for nearest to the pin. Meanwhile the winner for longest drive, Anna James Gill made 304 yards.
Chief guest SGA President Khurram Khan at the prize distribution ceremony commended lady golfers’ efforts in taking Ladies Golf, to unimaginable heights. He praised all ladies committee team, led by tournament director, Humaira Khalid, for executing the championship in a professional manner. He reiterated the Sind Golf Association (SGA) has always supported ladies in golf and will do so in the future as well.
A large number of lady golfers came from Lahore and a relatively new, though, a group of dedicated golfers from Maachi Goth, Rahimyarkhan, travelled 11 hours to come and participate. The ceremony included, chief referee Zahid Iqbal, Dr Asma Shami, members of SGA, large number golfers and sponsors at the prize distribution ceremony.
Humaira Khalid, while requesting Dr Asma Shami to address the audience, stated: “Dr Shami is my mentor, it is her vision on Ladies Golf that is being realised all over the country and this event is a small part of it!”
Dr Shami praised the ladies team work, calling it an exceptional effort. She complimented Humaira for improving upon the existing format, in ladies golf. “Ladies Golf in Pakistan has come a long way in the shortest possible time, from local level to national, to international. The credit for such an unprecedented development in ladies golf, squarely goes to the unparalleled support extended by Lt Gen Hilal Hussain (R), Ex-President PGF. There is no stopping of golfing talent in our country, very soon we will have a girl’s professional category,” she remarked.
“There are seven exclusive ladies championships on the PGF Calendar. All it requires is fine tuning.” Dr Shami rightly pointed out that, “The deficiency lay in the absence of a platform for juniors, a nursery to produce junior golfers to fill the gap. Ace Junior Golf League (AJGL), a brain child of Munazza Shaheen, President of AJGL, myself as the Patron and Lt Gen Hilal Hussain (R) has graciously agreed to be the patriot in chief. Lt Gen Akram Muhammad Qazi (R), President PGF, praised the bold and a much required initiative taken by ladies, in golf, extended his support.
The inaugural matches of AJGL have been held in Lahore, 104 junior participants, Islamabad, 61 participants and next month, in March, a similar event will be held in DHA Golf & Country Club, Karachi. The AJGL has already given the juniors an international flavour by taking 13 juniors to participate in Sarawak Junior Golf Championship, Malaysia, December 2022.
