LAHORE - A noble cause truly shines when it translates into action on the ground. The Ace Junior Golf League (AJGL) is doing precisely that as it expands its horizons, city by city, with a mission to in­spire the youngest of junior golf­ers and propel the talented ones to greater heights. 

At a recent event in Islamabad, AJGL Patron-in-Chief Lt Gen Hilal Hussain (R), graced the occasion with his presence, leaving no doubt that he not only held the position in title but also in heart and soul. He candidly expressed his regret, saying, “In my seven years as PGF President, I did a lot of work for golf, for the pros and junior pros. However, not putting enough efforts into junior golfing was a lapse on my part.” He went on to commend the vision and dedication of Dr Asma Shami and the remarkable technical contri­butions of Ms Munazza Shaheen, stating that AJGL is a godsend for Pakistan Golf. 

For the inaugural monthly medal event in Islamabad, en­thusiastic young golfers flocked to participate, with 52 reg­istered and 42 taking to the course. Among them was the youngest participant, 5-year-old Ramin, who initially aimed to play just one hole but ended up completing four. This bound­less energy epitomizes the spirit of these young golfers, who re­fuse to be constrained and view the sky as their only limit. 

In the Birdie category, encom­passing ages 6-10, with a nine-hole play, Aleena Khan emerged as top scorer in the girls’ section with a gross score of 69. Ayesha Hashmi secured second with a score of 74, while Zahra Humayun claimed third with a score of 92. Among the boys, Shahzain bin Zeeshan clinched the top spot with a score of 56, followed by M Ahmed Riz­wan and Hamza Shoaib, earning second and third positions with scores of 67 and 74, respectively. 

Moving to the Eagle category, which includes ages above 10- 14, where participants played 18 holes, Zaina Zeeshan finished first in the girls’ section with a score of 104 followed by Aminah Ali Jami and Jannat Jami with scores of 111 and 112, respec­tively. In the boys’ section, Abdul­lah Khan emerged victorious with a score of 81, while Abdul­lah Aamir and Muhammad Has­san Shahid took second and third spots, tied with scores of 84 each. 

In the Albatross category, cov­ering ages 14-18, Jasia Tassawar claimed the top position in the girls’ section with a score of 96. Zarmina Khan secured second with an identical score, while Shazmina Khan finished third with a score of 102. Among the boys, Shahviaz Abbas Niazi took the first place with a score of 75. Muhammad Irtaza Hussain and M Darmal Khan secured the second and third positions, both carding scores of 77. Finally, in the elite category for ages 18-21, Saad Rana emerged as the win­ner among the boys with a score of 77 while M Hashir secured sec­ond with a score of 87, and Ham­za Abbasi third with a score of 91. 

Brig Zahid Hussain (R), Sec­retary of RGC, praised AJGL as a commendable initiative and ex­pressed his appreciation for the organizers’ commitment. Brig Saeed (R), Secretary of Bahria, echoed the sentiment, empha­sizing his belief in promoting golf at the grassroots level. He extended a warm invitation for AJGL to conduct all their month­ly medal events at Bahria, reaf­firming his support for the fu­ture of golf in Pakistan. 

The AJGL team, comprising dedicated individuals such as Munazza Azhar, Vice President of AJGL for Twin Cities, Am­ber Javed, Lady Captain of RGC, along with Naveela Faheem, Fatima Azhar, Saeeda Ashraf, and Amina Kiani, worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the event. The AJGL has become a promi­nent name in the world of golf, igniting the passion for competi­tive play among young golfers. Organizers are thrilled to wit­ness these enthusiastic golfers giving their best, with the AJGL eagle soaring to greater heights!