LAHORE: Matloob Ahmed of Garrison Golf Club delivered a commanding performance to clinch the 12th J.A. Zaman Memorial Championship, pulling away from the field in emphatic fashion on the final day.
Starting the day tied with his long-time rival Mohammad Shabbir, Matloob wasted no time in asserting control, carding an early birdie on the second hole. He maintained the momentum through the front nine, adding another birdie on the 6th, while Shabbir struggled to find rhythm, with uncharacteristic errors and bogeys creeping into his round due to errant shots.
The defining moment of the championship came on the 7th hole. After Shabbir’s tee shot drifted left, forcing him to play safe into the fairway, Matloob seized the opportunity with a brilliant approach, landing his ball just feet from the pin in two shots. Under pressure, Shabbir faltered, pulling his approach into the greenside bunker and eventually carding a bogey. Matloob calmly converted his eagle putt, resulting in a decisive three-shot swing that shifted the momentum firmly in his favor.
From that point onward, Matloob played with confidence and composure, steadily extending his lead as Shabbir was unable to recover. Finishing with an impressive tournament score of -18, Matloob secured a resounding victory and his third J.A. Zaman Memorial title.
Minhaj claimed third place with a solid final round of 3-under par, finishing at -4 overall. While not at his peak throughout the tournament, his late surge earned him a podium finish. Other notable performances included Talat Ijaz at -3 and Alam at -2 for the championship.
In the senior professionals category, Tariq continued his dominance, capturing his fourth consecutive title. The junior professionals title was awarded to Ashass from Karachi, who finished with a total score of +3. Marking a significant milestone for the tournament, the ladies professionals category was introduced this year and won by Zehbunissa.
The 2026 edition of the championship witnessed record participation, with over 600 golfers from across Pakistan, making it the largest golf tournament in the country in terms of player turnout. (PR)
