Azhar takes Rotary Golf title

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports corr at Victoria

Fazly Ahamed Azhar won the Rotary International Golf Stableford Golf Championship with an overall nett score of 71 in the two rounds in the tournament organised by the Rotary Club of Kandy and the Victoria Golf and Country Resort and worked off at the beautiful Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy on Sunday.

A large number of lady and gentlemen golfers took the field on Saturday and Sunday for the two rounds of golf which was on Stableford Eclectic format on the score per hole on both days of play.

As usual the course in topping condition with the rains which fell last week making it greener and more challenging and the golfers revelled under these conditions.

Fazley Ahamed Azhar playing to a handicap of 22 registered 29 points on the first day with some splendid play pushing the low handicapper Sujeewa Lankatillake and Sam Gunaratne into second and third places respectively. On the second day too Fazley came out on top with a nett score of 42 and Sujeewa Lankatillake though coming up with a good score was pipped at the post by a single point - 41 nett.

In third place was 20 handicapper with a nett score of 37 and he was ahead only after a count back on the last nine holes with Errol Johnston too getting 37 nett but played to a handicap of 12. Ian Tait finished sixth with 35 nett and Sam Gunaratne in seventh place with 35 nett after a count back. Overall Rowland Davies finished runner-up and Sam Gunaratne in third place.

The Gross championship was won by Sujeewa Lankatillake who excelled on both days with his now arch rival Ian Tait as runner-up.

Victoria has seen many gruelling battles between this duo with one trying to get the better of the other.

Englishman Ian Tait who has played cricket and rugby for Cheshire Minor County is in spanking form at present winning many titles. He is the only golfer at Victoria with hone in one on two separate occasions and this he achieved on the fourth home.

Expatriate Sonia Boyle one of the top lady golfers from Victoria fell below expectations as a result of some wayward hitting. But she compensated herself by winning the competition for the longest drive on day and day two as well to go home with two trophies.

The longest drive for men went to Johan Taylor on the first day and Sujeewa Lankatillake won this event on the second day.

All in all it was excellent golf on both days with the locals and the foreigners enjoying it and the proceeds of this championship will go to the Rotary International Fund for Humanitarian projects.

This competition would not have been the success it was if not for the efforts of Victoria's General Manager Errol Johnston, Marketing Executive Ms Dhanushika Medagoda, Rotarian Carl Kelaart, Rotarian Ayesha Wijeratne, and Arlene Kelaart.

The results:

Close to the Line Day 1:

Per Cramborn.

Close to the line day 2:

Johann Taylor

Lodies longest drive day

1: Sonia Boyle.

Ladies longest drive day

2: Sonia Boyle.

Ladies Nearest to the pin

day 1: Pauline Morley.

Ladies Nearest to the

pin day 2: Joanne Moore.

Gentlemen Nearest to

the pin day 1: Rowland

Davies.

Gentlemen Nearest to

the pin day 2: Gunar

Nillson.

Nett winner day 1

Pauline Morley.

Nett winner day 2: Noel

Joseph.

Gross winner: Sujeewa

Lankatillake.

Gross Runner-up: Ian

Tait.

Rotary Best Nett winner

Fazley Ahamed Azhar.

Best Nett Runner-up:

Rowland Davies.