Mithum takes 'Pin Fernando' Trophy

Richard Dwight

GOLF: The 20-year-old promising Mithum Perera, son of the famed golfing champion, now turned Pro. Nandasena Perera - gave indications that he was fast following in his father's footsteps, when on Saturday he won the 'Pin Fernando' golf tournament by defeating the Korean, Jin Yong Kim, at the Royal Colombo Golf Club.

Befitting it was, to find Mithum winning this prestigious Board event sponsored by United Tractor and Equipment Ltd, when considering that Mithum's father and the legendary Pin Fernando were contemporary golfers.

The 'Pin Fernando' Trophy 2006 - dubbed the "Ultimate Challenge" by the sponsors, saw 19 golfers, qualifying for the first cut after the Stableford format round held on Saturday July 15, take up the next challenge of a stroke play round last Saturday morning.

Emerging from this were the top 2 players, Mithum Perera with an almost record breaking score of 64 gross (66 nett) and Jin Yong Kim with a nett score of 68 - who were left to tee off in the afternoon in a match play format to determine as to who would take the coveted 'Pin Fernando Trophy' and have as well his name registered on the RCGC Board.

It was a tentative start for both Mithum and Kim the finalists, with Mithum conceding a stroke at every hole to his opponent in keeping with the handicap tournament rules.

At the 8th hole Mithum impressed to be 2 up marked by 3 pars, a birdie and an eagle while Kim had net birdies at the 4th and 5th to press on. The match thereon sea-sawed from one to another with fortunes fluctuating and, with an error or two, Mithum for the first time went 1 down on the 17th hole but with Kim messing up on the final hole allowed Mithum to draw level with a solid par.

In the 19th Mithum with talent and skill got the better of Kim to win the match.

The match was refereed by Priath Fernando, the Chairman of United Tractors and son of the late Pin Fernando.