Golf sits further away. It is not the sport that attracts children in large numbers. It does not offer instant recognition, nor does it carry the weight of national heroes the way cricket does. Many of Pakistan’s accomplished golfers have emerged from caddie backgrounds, learning the game while carrying someone else’s bag. The pathway has rarely been structured or predictable.
Which is why it was unusual to see an eight-year-old in Swat choosing golf. On quiet mornings at Kabbal Golf Club, long before national rankings and international invitations, Saad Habib Malik was learning the game in relative silence. There were no crowds watching. No early declarations of promise. Just repetition. Swing after swing on dew-covered fairways in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
As his involvement deepened, so did his family’s belief. “When Saad began participating in national junior golf events in 2017–2018, his talent and passion became evident,” his father recalls. “At that point, I made the decision to fully support him in pursuing golf as a career.” The decision marked the beginning of a journey that would demand more than just practice hours.
From an early stage, the game meant more to Saad than recreation. “After competing in international tournaments and gaining global exposure, I became certain that I wanted to pursue golf professionally,” he says.
That certainty did not arrive overnight. Through his school years and A-Levels, he balanced academics with increasingly demanding training sessions. Fitness at sunrise. Hours on the range. Time spent refining his short game. Golf’s quiet nature often hides how exacting it can be. “Balancing academics with professional-level training has been one of the biggest challenges of my journey,” he admits.
By 2022, the wins were coming more regularly. Over the next few years, he collected 17 major titles. The 64th National Amateur Championship in 2025 was different. He entered the final round in 15th place, not among the favourites, and finished with a 68 to take the title.
The rise soon extended beyond domestic courses. In 2025, Saad earned a USGA exemption to compete in the 77th US Junior Amateur Championship in Dallas, a rare platform for a Pakistani golfer his age. “Receiving an invitation from the USGA based on my performance was a proud and unforgettable moment,” he says. Competing alongside the world’s top junior golfers broadened his perspective on the standards required at the highest level.
International travel has since taken him to Mauritius, Thailand, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. He is currently ranked 239th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and 25th in Asia, steady progress in a sport where advancement is incremental.
The Sri Lanka National Golf Championship in 2025 stood out for different reasons. Competing away from home, Saad pushed Sri Lanka’s top players into a sudden-death playoff. “Despite the pressure, I stayed calm and focused on my own game,” he recalls. “I did not have my own caddie during that event, which made it more challenging. Nevertheless, I gave my absolute best until the final shot.”
Back home, his father followed the scores from afar. “I closely followed his scores and felt immense pride in his fighting spirit,” he says. Supporting training, travel and tournament participation, he adds, has required sustained commitment in a sporting environment that is still developing.
Golf in Pakistan operates on the margins of public attention and sponsorship pathways are fewer. For players like Saad, international exposure becomes both opportunity and necessity. “Golf has limited media coverage and a smaller fan base in Pakistan compared to cricket,” he acknowledges. “However, representing Pakistan internationally motivates me even more.”
Later this year, Saad is set to join the University of Texas at San Antonio on scholarship. NCAA Division I golf will be a different environment, stronger fields, tighter margins, less room for error. It is the next step in a journey that is still taking shape.
For his father, the ambition is clear but grounded. “My dream is to see him compete one day on the PGA Tour and the Asian Tour. More importantly, I hope he continues to grow not only as a professional athlete but also as a humble, disciplined, and responsible individual who represents Pakistan with pride and integrity.”
At 19, Saad Habib Malik’s journey is still unfolding. From the quiet fairways of Swat to sudden-death playoffs abroad, his progress reflects persistence in a sport that rarely commands the spotlight at home. In a country where cricket defines early ambition, his story offers a different arc, one built slowly, through discipline, belief and the willingness to choose a less travelled fairway.