Monthly Medal Golf begins on November 22

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Correspondent

Ceylinco Life Insurance will sponsor the Monthly Medal Gold Competition of the Victoria Golf and Country Resort for November 2008 which will get underway at the picturesque Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy this Saturday - November 22nd with the first too off at 7.30 a.m.

A large number of golfers are expected to take the field at this prestigious monthly golf championship which has been gaining momentum over the months with golfers from Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Colombo and also visitors to the island adding colour to it by their participation. It is also encouraging to note that Ceylinco Life Insurance - a subsidiary of the Ceylinco Group of Companies which is one of the biggest group of companies in the island.

A visit to the golf course at Victoria which was the venue of the 121st Sri Lanka Open Amateur Golf Championship two weeks indicated that the course is in topping condition and made challenging by the experience and skills of the Course Manager Maheel Bulumulla under the guidance of General Manager Errol Johnston and Consultant and father of the golf course Tony Withas who has been in it from the time the first sod of grass was planted.

From then onwards there has been no turning back and its class peaked a few years back when it was voted as the Best Golf Course in the Sub-Continent by the Asian Golf Digest - a judgement given by the golfers themselves who had played on it.

The last monthly medal round was by M. Robinson who got a gross 85 and regular winner Sujeewa Lankatillake had to give this event a miss as business commitment took him to Malaysia but he is back to defend the medal title which he won in September.

Also in the running is expatriate Tait who is best remembered for giving Sidath Wettimuni a gruelling time at the recently concluded Seniors Championship of the Open Amateur tournament which he won but not before having kept the spectators waiting by taking play from the 18th hole to the 17th holes on no less than three times and he eventually won the championship.

Fortunately the golf cars were there in hand as otherwise it would have been a long walk to and from far the duo. The others who will be in running for championship honours are Sam Gunaratne (last months second runner-up). S. Samantha, Chamil Wickremasinghe, Richard Worral and Sirath Kasthuriratne.

Expatriate Sonis Boyle continued her winning street in the ladies gross Division and she is expected win again this time unless Manori Jayakoddy. Tina Hansson, Pauline Morley or Suwen Selvaratnam if she plays cause an upset. Also in the running are Indira Tibblin, Jyoti Heynes and Linda Harris.

Those in the running for the Mens Nett Division are last months winner Richard Warral, M. Robinson and Sam Gunaratne with all three getting 77 Nett and it was the count back on the last nine holes which decided the winners and runners-up.

Pauline Morley with an handicap of 21 looks the best bet for the Ladies Nett Division title with Sonia Boyls, Indira Tibblin, Manori Jayakoddy and Linda Harris her a big challenge.

With excellent weather prevailing in the Victoria region and a little evening showers on and off has resulted in a luxuriant growth of grass.

Ms. Dhanushika Medagoda who came to Victoria a couple of years back has caught up with the skills of successfully organising events will be handling this event with Ms. Nicolla Bonifass. Dhanushika Medagodage organising ability was witnessed at the 121st Sri Lanka Open Amateur Golf Championship which is the second oldest golf championship in the world and she came in for much praise from the golfers and officials.