Over 100 golfers vie for Donald Steel Trophy

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports corr. at Victoria

Over 100 golfers both gentlemen and ladies are expected to tee off at the 10th Annual Donald Steel Trophy golf championship organised by Victoria Golf and Country Resort which will be worked off at the picturesque Victoria golf course, Rajawella off Kandy on Saturday and Sunday (February 9th and 10th). The first tee off is scheduled at 7 a.m.

Despite the situation in the country, the entries received from both local and abroad is very encouraging and Victoria Golf and Country Resort is going ahead with this championship as scheduled will show to the tourists that the normal life goes on here.

This is indeed commendable and Victoria Golf and Country Resort should be complimented.

The current holder of the Donald Steel Trophy is Sujeewa Lankatillake who plays to a handicap of five and had years of experience in golf in Switzerland before returning to the homeland and built a house for himself near the Victoria golf course to pursue his golf career in Sri Lanka.

Sujeewa Lankatillake is bound to be high on the list of potential winners for the 2008 trophy which is awarded to the gentleman player recording the best stableford score over two rounds.

The other likely contenders are Ian Tait, Nimal Wettimuni.

Sanjay Wettimuni, Chamil Wickremasinghe, Alain Gyi, Romesh Abhayaratne just to name a few. The previous winners of this trophy are: Chamath Kulasinghe (1999), David Griffith (2000), Martin Ebert (2001), Alain Gyi (2002), Martin Ebert (2003 and 2004), Binupa Wijesinghe (2005), Romesh Abhayaratne (2006), Sujeewa Lankatillake (2007).

Binupa Wijesinghe who is now studying in America is the only schoolboy to have won this prestigious trophy.

The Ebert’s Pot is another trophy linked to the Donald Steel and this is presented by one of Donald Steel’s closest collaborators on the Victoria golf course project over ten years ago, Martin Ebert.

The names such as Donald Steel, Martin Ebert, Bostock and Tony Witham are legendary with the Victoria golf course.

It is their untiring effects which helped Victoria to see the light of the day and also provide Kandy with a beautiful and challenging course which is ranked among the best 100 golf courses in the world and also voted as the best golf course in South Asia. This is creditable indeed for a golf course which is just 10 years old.

The Ebert’s Pot is awarded to the gentlemen who records the best now score over two rounds. The defending champion here is Andrew Udeshi.

The previous winners were: Ajith Nishantha (2000), Helmut Suchy (2001), Malik Ahamedeen (2002), Rohan de Silva (2003), Dr. Alexander Perera (2004), Roshan Dias (2005), Ian Nalder (2006), Andrew Udeshi (2007). Some of the top contenders for this year’s title are Helmut Suchy, Bo Lindberg, Ian Nalder, Rohan de Silva, Sirath Kasthuriratne, Sam Gunaratne, Dr. Alex Perera.

The most prestigious trophy in the competition for the ladies is Pam Fernando Trophy, named after Sri Lanka’s greatest ever lady golfer and is open contest amongst the best Sri Lanka can muster.

This beautiful trophy is offered to the best lady golfer’s gross score over the 36 holes. Ms Suwen Selvaratnam won the Pam Fernando Cup in 2007 and is all set to defend her title successfully this year.

Also vying for this trophy will be Niloo Jayatillake (who won it in 2002), Manori Jayakody, Pauline Merley, Roshni Sangani, Sonia Boyle, Indira Tibblin, Linda Harris, Jyoti Haynes, Aida Andrea.

It must be recalled that the versatile Suweneetha Selvaratnam has won this Cup four times out of eight since it was inaugurated in 2000 and her daughter Thuhashini once in 2006.

The previous winners of this Cup are: Suwen Selvaratnam (2000), Anouk Chanmugam (2001), Niloo Jayatillake (2002), Jaquie Dias (2003), Suwen Selvaratnam (2004 and 2005), Thuhashini Selvaratnam (2006), Suwen Selvaratnam (2007).

The Victoria Bowl - a magnificent piece of Waterford Crystal will be open to all as the not ladies event.

The defending champion is Pauline Merley some of the top contenders this year are Indira Tibblin, Pauline Merley, Sonia Boyle, Linda Harris, Roshni Sangani, Aida Andrea, Shanti Haynes just to name a few.

The previous winners are: Sally Gordon (2001), Usha de Silva (2002), Indira Tibblin (2003), Niloo Jayatillake (2004), Sandie McAndrew (2005), Suwen Selvaratnam (2006), Pauline Merley (2007).

The weather up Rajawella is excellent and the golfers are bound to revel under these conditions.