ISLAMABAD – Pakistan will host its first golf tournament with the AsianTour in 11 years, organisers announced Tuesday, as international sportsgradually returns to a terror-hit country where security has improved.
The Chief of Naval Staff Open Golf Championship is set to tee off from July24 to 27 in Karachi, attracting a talented cast of Asian Tour stars to theUS$300,000 (34.59 million rupees) event.
“Our talented members are excited to return to Pakistan,” said Josh Burack,Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer, in a statement.
Regular Asian Tour events have been absent in the country since 2008, whena tournament was cancelled over security concerns amid a wave of militantattacks across Pakistan.
All international sporting events were later suspended in Pakistanfollowing an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in March2009.
But successful military operations in the country s northwest and urbancentres have largely beaten back militant groups and dramatically improvedsecurity nationwide.
As a result, the country has hosted back-to-back Pakistan Super Leaguecricket starting in 2017, in addition to a limited over series againstZimbabwe, the World XI and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan s Chief of Naval Staff Zafar Abbasi, whom the tournament is namedafter, lauded the return of the Asian Tour.
“This is great news for golf in Pakistan. We are thrilled to welcome theAsian Tour and its talented members to our beautiful country,” said Abbasi.
Pakistan hosted its first Asian Tour event in 1989, which was won byFilipino star Frankie Minoza.
The country s only Asian Tour winner remains Taimur Hussain who triumphedat an event in Myanmar in 1998. – APP/AFP