Omar, Yashal Hope To Make Presence Felt In US Junior Amateurs.

LAHORE -- Pakistan No. 1 Omar Khalid and No. 3 Yashal Shah will feature in the 74th US Junior Amateur Championship, one of the biggest junior competitions in international golf, at the world famous Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, USA.

It is a rare occasion for Pakistan golf as Omar and Yashal earned exemptions to play in the prestigious championship to be held from July 25 to 30. A total of 264 players from all over the world will take part in the championship. Only 47 of them have earned an exemption on the basis of their positions in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WGAR) while the rest won tickets to Bandon Dunes via qualifying rounds which took place in various parts of the US earlier this summer.

Omar, who holds the record of being the youngest ever National Amateur champion of Pakistan, rose to a career-high No. 294 in the world rankings. He was ranked among the top 10 players in the world aged 17 or younger. Apart from winning the 2021 National Amateurs at age 16, Omar has claimed a number of major titles including Pakistan Open (amateur winner), CAS Open, DHA Open, Governor's Cup and Faldo Series Pakistan. He is also the youngest ever player to become Pakistan No. 1. Last month, Omar took part in the prestigious British Amateurs at Royal Lytham and St Annes after earning an exemption and also played in the British Open Regional Qualifiers in London.

Talented Yashal has also achieved a lot of success at the national level, winning the CNS Open and Sindh Amateurs. Recently, he took part in the Egyptian Amateurs and finished fifth with a series of exceptional rounds. He was in contention for the title till the final round. He is currently ranked No. 503 in WAGR. Both the Pakistani teenagers, who have been sponsored by Engro Corporation, have proven their mettle at home but...