Golf double for Suwaneetha

BY S. K. JIFFREY Abdeen - Kandy sports correspondent at Victoria

VETERAN lady golfer Suwaneetha Selvaratnam clinched a rare double of winning both the Ladies Nett and Gross Division while Ian Tait lifted the Men's Gross Division and Anura Danthanarayana the Men's Nett Division at the fifth round of the Lectra monthly medal golf championship organised by the Victoria Golf and Country Resort and sponsored by Lectra Apparel Technologies (Pvt) Limited and worked off at the Victoria Golf Course at Rajawella.

With the showers experienced in the Victoria region, the course looked green and lush as over with a luxuriant growth of grass which made it difficult for the golfers.

They had to use all their skills and experience to come to terms. The fairways were neatly trimmed and offered a very good condition to the golfers.

Pick of this medal championship was no doubt Suwaneetha Selvaratnam who lifted both the Gross and Nett titles in the ladies divisions giving her a rare double.

Playing to a handicap of 8 she registered a healthy 88 in the gross division, her nearest challenger was 13-year-old school girl from Holy Family Convent Anusha Senadheera who got 95 conceding a lead of 7. Dhanushi Senadheera played to a handicap of 14. But missing from the championship round were top golfers like Niloo Jayatillake, Kanori Jayakody and Maloowa Awn.

Suweneetha Selvaratnam won the Ladies Nett Division too with a 81 nett but young Dhanushi Senadheera was not far behind with 81 nett. Indira Tibblins had 82 nett while Dhanushi's mother Anusha Senadheera had 83 nett, June Anngood 82 nett and Suo Rao 84 nett which will some indication to the closeness of the battle witnessed here among the 'Deadlier of the Species'.

Englishmen Ian Tait fresh after his success at the SriLankan Airlines Golf Classics 2005 last month continued his success trail by taking the Mens Gross Division title with a score of 83 gross and Sujeewa Lankatillake was not far behind with 84 gross with a single digit separating them.

But absent from this medal rounds was young Binupa Wijesinghe, who is leading the points table here.

Also excelling in this division was Priath Fernando with 86 gross, and schoolboy Chamil Wickremasinghe too registered a similar score along with Srinivas Rao. Ian Tait played to a handicap of 6 while Lankatillake 5.

The Men's Nett Division title went to Anura Danthanarayana who playing to a handicap of 24 registered a score of 70 strokes. Ian Tait clinched the runner-up berth with a score of 77 nett on a count back after tieing with Srinivas Rao, Tony Witham and Priath Fernando who were identical scores.

Also excelling here was Chamil Wickremasinghe 78, Akhil Rao 79, Sujeewa Lankatilleke 79 and Sampath Hemachandra 78.

Sujeewa Lankatilleke who played to a handicap of 5 should consider himself unlucky as he came close to winning both the nett and gross divisions with good scores but yet the titles were not within his grasp. But with more exposure in the course, he should pose a major threat to the other top golfers.

The arrangements at this championship was excellent with the team headed by its General Manager Tony Witham who will go into a semi-retirement from this month, Club Secretary Steaffan de Run, Marketing Manager Lalindra Ranaweera, Course Superintendent Maheel Bulumulla and Caddie Master Peter Perera.

Men's division - gross score is indicated first followed by the nett score: Ian Tait Gross 83 and Nett 77, Anura Danthanarayana 94 and 70, Chamil Wickremasinghe 86 and 78, Histoshi Abe 115 and 90, Rohan Athureliya 114 and 86, Sampath Hemachandra 92 and 78, Veinert Holm 97 and 78, Sirath Kasturiratne 99 and 84, Sujeewa Lankatillake 84 and 79, Mangala Niyarapola 96 and 86, Dr. Alex Perera 105 and 84, John Anngood 128 and 100, Akhil Rao 95 and 79, Srinivas Rao 86 and 77, Rolf Tibblins 105 and 85, U. D. Waqa 115 and 88, Tony Witham 90 and 77, Priath Fernando 86 and 77.

Ladies Division - Gross is indicated first and the Nett score second: Suwen Selvaratnam Gross 88 and Nett 80, Sonia Boyle 100 and 83, Indira Tibblins 104 and 82, Anusha Senadheera 99 and 83, Dhanushi Senadheera 95 and 81, Jyoti Haynes 129 and 104, Suo Rao 120 and 84, Anne Anngood 116 and 82, Lillian Perera 130 and 90.

Winner - Men's Gross Division: Ian Tait - 83 Gross.

Runner-up - Men's Gross Division: Sujeewa Lankatillake - 84 Gross.

Winner Men's Nett Division: Anura Danthanarayana - 70 Nett.

Runner-up - Men's Nett Division: Ian Tait 77 nett - Decided on a count after Srinivas Rao, Tony Witham and Priath Fernando had registered identical scores of 77 Nett.

Winner - Ladies Gross Division: Suwen Selvaratnam - 88 Gross.

Runner-up - Ladies Gross Division: Dhanushi Senadheera - 95 Gross.

Winner - Ladies Nett Division: Suwen Selvaratnam - 80 nett.

Runner-up - Ladies Nett Division: Dhanushi Senadheera - 81 nett.

Winner - Junior Division: Chamil Wickremasinghe - 78 Nett.