Ian Tait retains Donald Steel Trophy
S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Corre. at Victoria
Former Cheshire cricketer and ruggerite Ian Tait retained the Donald
Steel Trophy while two sisters Niloo Jayatillake (Pam Fernando Cup) and
Roshini Sangani (Victoria Bowl) crowned themselves with glory at the
12th Donald Steel golf championships organised by the Victoria Golf and
Country Resort and sponsored jointly by Precious Shop (Premadasa Group),
Janashakthi Insurance, Finlays Insurance and Carlsberg and worked off at
the Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy over the weekend.
Ian Tait who won the Donald Steel Trophy in 2009, successfully
defended it this with a gross score of 32 and he was followed by Sujeewa
Lankatillake with 30 and Sam Gunaratne was second runner-up with 30
after count back on the last nine holes. The count back was so close
that Lankatillake had 6.9 and Gunaratne 6.8. Former cricketer and
ruggerite Sunil Jayakody displayed one of his best performances at
Victoria when he registered 29 gross. A little more effort and practises
should have given him the prestigious trophy. Sunil Jayakody - a former
captain of the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club comes all the way from Maskeliya
to participate in tournaments.
Also recording good scores were Johan Taylor 27 gross, Chamil
Wickremasinghe 27, Daminda Fernando 27, Noel Joseph 27 and F. Dossa 27
in that order or a count back on the last nine holes.
Conducted alongside the main championship was the Ebert Pot which was
won by Sascha Roschy with a Net score of 47 playing to a handicap of 27.
Noel Joseph playing to a handicap of 18 finished runner-up with a Net
score of 43. Johan Taylor was the second runner-up with a Net score of
41 playing to a handicap of 17. Also excelling in this even was Sam
Gunaratne 41 playing to a handicap of 11. If not for the handicap Sam
Gunaratne could have laid his hands on this trophy. Also getting good
scores were Thomas Dagartz 38 Net (handicap 20), N. Selvanayagam 37 Net
(handicap 12), C. Abeyratne 37 Net (handicap 28) and Sunil Jayakody 37
Net (handicap 8).
Versatile Niloo Jayatillake won the prestigious Pam Fernando Cup with
a gross score of 27 but after a tense battle with five times winner
Suwen Selvaratnam who was just one point behind with 26 Gross. It turned
out to be gruelling battle and Niloo Jayatillake had to dip deeply into
her reservoir of experience and pull out her best before edging our
Suwen Selvaratnam by a single point. This was Niloo Jayatillake’s third
title win having won it earlier in 2002 and 2008. Suwen Selvaratnam won
it in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009. Suwen Selvaratnam had to be
satisfied with the runner-up berth and Janny Nalder with 20 gross
finished second runner-up. Also excelling were Roshni Sangani 20, Sonia
Boyle 17, Y. Abeyratne 17, Maleena Awn 16, Manori Jayakoddy 16, Indira
Tibblin 15, C. Benjamin 14, Monika Kulasinghe 14, A. Wolfgan 14.
Roshini Sangani playing to a handicap of 24 registered a Net score of
44 to emerge clear winner in the Victoria Bowl and retain the title
which she won last year for yet another year. Mayumi Koshoorn finished
runner-up with 38 Net playing to a handicap of 28. In third place was
Chris Benjamin with a Net score of 37 playing to a handicap of 24. Good
scores were also registered by Niloo Jayatillake 37 Net (handicap 11),
A. Wolfgang 37 (handicap 25), Indira Tibblin 35 (handicap 21), Manori
Jayakoddy 35 (handicap 11), Manori Jayakoddy 35 (handicap 20), Suwen
Selvaratnam 34 (handicap 8), Manika Illangasinghe 34 (handicap 27),
Lillian Perera 33 (handicap 36).
Victoria Bowl
(Ladies Net):
Winner: Roshini Sangani (44 Net).
Runner-up: Mayumi Kokshoorn (38 Net).
Third place: Chris Benjamin (37 Net).
Nearest to the Pin - Ladies: Caryl Swahn.
Nearest to the Pin - Gentlemen: Ron Bakelman
Longest Drive - Ladies: Indira Tibblin.
Longest Drive - Gentlemen: Dilip Kodikara
Ebert Pot (Men’s Net):
Winner: Sascha Roschy (47 Net).
Runner-up: Sujeewa Lankatillake (30 Net).
Second runner-up: Sam Gunaratne (30 - on a count back).
Pam Fernando Cup (Ladies Gross):
Winner: Niloo Jayatillake (27 Gross).
Runner-up: Suwen Selvaratnam (26 Gross).
Donald Steel Trophy (Men’s Gross):
Winner: Ian Tait.
Runner-up: Sujeewa Lankatillake (30 Gross).
Second runner-up: Sam Gunaratne (30 Gross - on a count back). |
