Lahore, Pakistan: Mubariz Ahmad and Nadeem Aslam will lock horns once more in the fifth edition of the Faldo Series Pakistan Championship.
Mubariz had the distinction of emerging triumphant on the first three occasions the tournament was staged. But his remarkable sequence of home success was ended by Nadeem last year.
The duo are now preparing to face-off at the Defence Raya Golf & Country Club this week in what promises to be an intriguing contest.
Nearing the end of their junior golfing days, both Mubariz and Nadeem will be vying to secure their places in the 10th anniversary Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at Mission Hills China next March.
Having played for Ames High School in Iowa at the age of 13, Mubariz went on to compete in the 2010 British Junior Open and has represented Pakistan internationally on more than half-a-dozen occasions, including the 2012 World Amateur Team Championship.
Meanwhile, following his sudden-death play-off victory over Minhaj Maqsood Warraich last year, Nadeem was the leading Pakistani performer at the ninth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final where he tied for 27th. That was four strokes better than Minhaj, who has now joined the ranks of the professionals.
Six-time Major championship winner Faldo, Britain’s most successful golfer, said: “It’s always good to see such intense competition and friendly rivalries in golf. It helps to sharpen the minds and the games of the players involved and drives them to give of their best.
“Based on what’s gone before in the Faldo Series Pakistan Championship I’ll be fascinated to see who comes out on top this week. It has all the makings of being a thrilling tournament.”
It is the third time that the Faldo Series Pakistan Championship has been played at the Defence Raya Golf & Country Club, which was opened in 2009 and provides one of the toughest golfing challenges in Pakistan with significant elevation changes and water coming into play on 10 holes.
Results from the Faldo Series Pakistan Championship, the eighth leg of the 2015-16 Faldo Series Asia season, count for the World Amateur Golf Ranking system.
Supported by The R&A and Mission Hills and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2015-16 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretches over 11 months and will include a minimum of 21 events in 17 countries including, for the first time, Australia.