'Sports find of the year': Wasim Akram pins high hopes on young golf sensation, Omar Khalid

• Omar created history when he comfortably won the 60th National Amateur Golf Championship of Pakistan last week.
  
• He is the youngest ever player to claim the country’s most coveted title by a big margin of five strokes.
  
• "If you ask me I would say that Omar Khalid is 'find of the year' not just for Pakistan golf but for Pakistan sports.”
  

KARACHI: Lauding Pakistan's young golf sensation, Omar Khalid, Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram said that the emerging talent has a very bright future and will go on to win laurels for Pakistan at the international level, The News reported on Friday.

Last Sunday, Omar created history when he comfortably won the 60th National Amateur Golf Championship of Pakistan to become the youngest ever player to claim the country’s most coveted title by a big margin of five strokes. 

He shot a stunning final round score of 70 to beat a field that included all the top players of the country at the Karachi Golf Club.

Referring to the promising golf player as “Pakistan sports’ find of the year”, Wasim, who himself is an avid golfer, predicted that Omar has a very bright future and will go on to win laurels for Pakistan at the international level.

Wasim, who played a round of golf with Omar here at the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club yesterday, said: “I was both amazed and delighted to learn that the 16-year-old Omar has won the country’s most prestigious golf tournament."

The former pacer said that it is not easy for a young boy of Omar’s age to win a national title and more so in a tough sport like golf where a player takes a long time to mature. "That makes Omar’s victory really important for Pakistan sports," he praised.

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“If you ask me I would say that Omar Khalid is "find of the year" not just for Pakistan golf but for Pakistan sports,” he stressed, adding that such talent should be supported and groomed.

Meanwhile, Akram opined that it is high time that Pakistan pays heed to other sports as well than cricket.

“As a nation, we have become too cricket-centric and should also give attention to other sports like golf. Omar’s stunning success is proof that we have loads of talent and we should explore it.”

Appealing to the authorities and corporate sector to come forward and support talented youngsters like Omar Khalid so that they can become world-class players, he said: “Players like Omar are Pakistan’s future and should get all possible support.”