AHDA and Colombo Reds golf champions

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN- Kandy Sports Corr. at Victoria

AHDA team won the Best Nett while the Best Gross score was registered by Colombo 'Reds' at the second annual Nations Trust Bank Texas Scramble team golf championship organised by the Victoria Golf and Country Resort worked off at the picturesque Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy last Sunday.

There was a huge turn out of golfing teams and some of the top golfers including the defending Sri Lanka amateur champions Mithun Perera. The course was lively as ever and the golfers enjoyed playing. Despite the rains earlier during the week the Course Manager Maheel Bulumulla under the guidance of General Manager Errol Johnston ensured that the bunkers retained their original condition and also the fairways were in an immaculate condition.

Apart from golf the best team name selected by the Nations Trust Bank went to Orange Classics which had some of the top names in the local scene like former cricketer Nimal Wettimuny, Englishman Ian Tait, regular winner Sujeewa Lankatillake and Swede Bo Lindberg.

Taking a leaf out of the Greek History and humming the popular song Samson and Delilah was the golf team 'Samson and 3 Delilahs' which carried away the award for the 'Best Dressed' team. Sam Gunaratne played the role of Samson while the 3 Delilahs were Norwegian Lillian Perera, Expatriate Sonia Boyle and Indira Tibblin wife of the motocross legend Rolf Tibblin. This team took the scene by storm with their Greek costume resembling the greeks from the ancient civilisation.

Getting back to serious golf Colombo Reds made up of Sanjeewa Wickremanayake, Lalin Senadheera, A. Herath and V. Sandana. Finishing runner-up was the Orange Classics led by Nimal Wettimuny.

The plum of the championship the Best Nett won by the AHDA which had in its fold Shiran Manukulasuriya, Ifthika Ahamed, Nalin Laduwahetty and national champion in the current golf scene Mithun Perera. Samson and the three Delilahs once again came up with a good performance and this time in the golf field by securing the runner-up berth. The third place went to Silipach which comprised veteran Sirath Kasthuriratne, Chamil Wickremasinghe, expatriate Linda Harris, and Pauline Morley. In fourth position was AHDB made up of Harsha Abeywickrema, Chandana de Silva, Nihal Keppetipola, and Srinath Rajapakse.

Errol Johnston once again stood out when he won the Nearest to the Line 13th Fairway for men while this competition for Ladies was won by Danny Hameed.

Mithun Perera was the overall winners in the event for Nearest to the Pin 2nd Shot 10th Hole.

The winners of the Best Gross Par 3 were the Victoria Regulars was made up of Manori Jayakoddy, Sunil Jayakoddy, C. Benjamin and Suwen Selvaratnam.

Suwen Selvaratnam also won the Longest Drive competition for ladies and the same event for men was won by Peter Loan.

The results:

Best Dressed team: Samson and three Delilahs.

Nearest to the Pin 3rd shot 10th hole: Mithun Perera.

Nearest the Lane 13th Fairway: Men: Errol Johnston. Ladies: Danny Hameed.

Best Gross Par 3s: The Victoria Regulars.

Best Team Name: The Orange Classic.

Nearest to the Pin: Men - Srinath Rajapakse. Ladies - Linda Harris.