LAHORE: Qasim Ali Khan delivered a masterclass performance to take the first-round lead in the Punjab Amateur Golf Championship 2025 at the Lahore Garrison Greens Golf Course, shooting an impressive four-under-par 68 on Thursday.

The Gymkhana golfer showcased exceptional skill throughout the round, combining powerful tee shots with precise approach play to establish himself as the front runner. However, the leader board remained tightly packed with Pakistan’s top-ranked amateur Nouman Ilyas close behind, carding a three-under-par 69, while Defence Raya’s promising talent Mohammed Abdullah Khan sits in third place after shooting a two-under-par 70.

“The competition has been fierce, with the top contenders displaying remarkable control and mastery over their game,” noted a tournament official. The challenging par-72 course has already tested the field’s abilities, with only three players managing to break par in the opening round.

Further down the leader board, Muhammad Shoaib (Gymkhana) and Saad Habib (DHA) shared fourth place after posting matching 73s, while Salman Jehangir and Ameer Khawaja remained in contention with rounds of 74.

Running concurrent with the amateur championship, the Punjab Jinnah Development Tour for second-tier professionals saw Peshawar’s Shahid Khan and Lahore Garrison’s Tahir Bashir sharing the lead after shooting one-under-par 71s.