Gunaratne and Aida take Masters Golf Titles

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports corr.

GOLF: Former Vidyartha College cricketer Sam Gunaratne and Singaporean Andrea Aida won the overall Gentlemen's and Ladies, championship at the NDB Bank Masters Golf Championship 2007 organised by the Victoria Golf and Country Resort and sponsored by National Development Bank and worked off at the picturesque Victoria Golf Course at Rajawella recently.

Over 80 players participated in this inaugural golf championship which was of the 18 hole Stableford format with prizes going down to the fifth place in each division. Once again the Victoria greens presented a picture of perfection which resembled a billiard thanks to the efforts of the General Manager Mike Varney who has got down some of the latest equipment to maintain the course and of course the work of Course Manager Maheel Bulumulla. The early morning starters took advantage of perfect golf course conditions - fast fairways and holding greens to post some greet scores.

In the Ladies Division expatriate Pauline Morley posted a 4 under par 40 points in the second flight along with steady campaigner another expatriate Sonia Boyle on 37 points - One under. The pre tournament favourites India Tibblins and Linda Harris flattered and disappointed to return scores well below their best. Linda Harris had the consolation of winning the trophy for Nearest to the Pin on the 16th Hole.

The overall winner was Singaporean and regular player at Victoria Andrea Aida on 8 under Par getting 44 points. She played off a handicap of 27 and with this performance her handicap will be sliced to 24.

The scoreboard for the top 10 players in the Ladies Division stood as follows:

1. Andrea Aida 44 points, 2. Pauline Morely 40 points, 3. Sonia Boyle 37 points, 4. Manori Jayakoddy 36 points, 5. Nessie Hannah 35 points, 6. Indira Tibblin 33 points, 7. Lillian Perera 32 points, 8. Linda Harris 30 points, 9. N. Amarasuriya 25 points and 10. Jane Moore 18 points.

In the Gentlemen's Division, a gruelling battle was witnessed between the persevering Sam Gunaratne and the in form Sujeewa Lankatillaka and the up and coming Chandana Weerasinghe. Sam Gunaratne played to a handicap 11, Sujeewa Lankatillake 3 and Chandana Weerasinghe 12. In the end it was Sam Gunaratne won the overall title for Gentlemen with 42 points. Chandana Weerasinghe a very close runner up with 41 points which would have given Sam Gunaratne some goose pimples.

There was a relentless struggle for the third place with Chamil Wickremasinghe and Sujeewa Lankatillake tieing with 39 points. But on a count back Ecole International College schoolboy sixteen year old Chamil Wickremasinghe playing to a handicap emerged winner. Sujeewa Lankatillake had to be satisfied with the fourth slot. Ever green expatriate Ian Tait took the fifth position with 37 points with One under Par.

The scoreboard for the Gentlemen's Division read:

1. Sam Gunaratne 42 points, 2. Chandana Weerasinghe 41 points, 3. Chamil Wickremasinghe 39 points, 4. Sujeewa Lankatillake 39 points, 5. Ian Tait 37 points, 6. Richel Hameed 37 points, 7. Tony Witham 37 points, 8. Stefan De Run 35 points, 9. Tony Haynes 34 points, 10. Tissa Wickremasinghe 33 points.