KARACHI: Braving the elements and a stiff challenge from European Tour winner Martin Wigley, Pakistan’s Hamza Amin – married to popular actress Ishna Shah – claimed the Austrian National Open Golf Championship in Ober-Waltersdorf, Austria. Did, JEE News reported Tuesday.
Making the win even more memorable, Hamza’s father – the legendary Taimur Hasan – was on the bag as the golfer made a series of birdies to win the championship by two strokes on Monday.
With scores of 71, 70, 75 and 69 in challenging conditions, Hamza – representing Romanza Golf Club – emerged on top on Sunday with a superb back nine, birdying holes 11, 13, 15 and 17 to win by two shots. .
“It’s an amazing feeling to win the Open again, especially with my dad on the bag. We made history and the memory will last forever. I was playing well but the third round was not good.
“The conditions were very difficult and the wind was blowing. Thankfully I birdied 18 on Saturday to stay 2 back and in the hunt.
“Psychologically, that birdie gave me good momentum going into the final round. The putter was cold all day but I just told myself to be patient and stick with it. Then I did,” he told JEE News. “Hold putts and started making birdies,” he told JEE News.
Taimur, Pakistan’s most famous amateur golfer, was on the moon.
“It was a wonderful experience to caddy for Hamza and be a part of his win. A great joy in the father-son combination,” he said.
The National Open Championship is the largest golf tournament on the Austrian Golf Association’s calendar spanning four days.
The tournament was played at the magnificent Fontana Golf Club, which has hosted numerous European Tour events in the past.
Professionals competed for a total prize fund of 20,000 euros. Players were competing for a national championship title and the prestigious legacy left behind by some of the national stars like Marcus Breyer, Nicky Zeitney, and Bernd Weissberger.
With its famous championship course that stretches beyond national borders, Fontana Golf Club provided the perfect setting for an exciting and challenging championship this year, with 151 players competing in the Open, now its is in his 49th year.
The national A and B teams, overseen by the coaching staff of the Austrian Federation, were also strong contenders for the title but in the end it was Hamza who sealed the deal in dramatic fashion.
While professionals compete for the €4,500 winner’s prize, amateurs compete for the most prestigious title in Austrian golf: the Austrian National Champion.
