Nalder grabs year's first medal

SM Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Correspondent at Victoria

Ian Nalder who came all the way from the United Kingdom to play golf at Victoria put up a polished display to win three events at the January 2011 Monthly Medal Golf championship organized by the Victoria Golf and Country Resort which was worked off at the Victoria golf course at Rajawella recently.

The large number of golfers who turned for this golf competition were greeted with mixed weather conditions which was partly sunny and also cloudy. The conditions were excellent for golf and they made the best use of it. The course itself was a picture of beauty with the rains in the previous week making the grass grow rich and green. The course was made challenging by the course manager Maheel Bulumulla.

Nalder playing to a handicap of 9, won the Overall Nett title for men by registering a nett score of 76. But later in the day Sam Gunaratne equalled this score of 76. Gunaratne played to a handicap of 10 not very far away.

This tie was broken with a count back on the last nine holes in which Nalder edged out the Lankan by getting 9.39 against 9.42 by Gunaratne. Another Englishman Ian Tait finished third by getting 79 Nett playing to a handicap of 5. Mike Penn and Errol Johnston tied for the fourth place with 80 Nett.

Nalder's score of 76 nett was the best in the list once again. Nalder's second win was in the Longest Drive competition for men with the longest hit for the day. His third win was in the event for Nearest to the Pin for men which saw him return to his room with a triple win.

The Overall winner for the Ladies Nett was English Lady Pauline Morley who scored 83 Nett playing to a handicap of 22. In second place was another English lady Margaret Dess Penn with a close 84 Nett playing to a handicap of 18 followed by her twin sister Sonia Boyle who got 87 Nett playing to a handicap of 17. Jyoti Haynes finished fourth with 85 Nett and Norwegian Lillian Perera in fifth place with 86 Nett.

The results:

Nearest to the Pin Ladies: Jyoti Haynes.

Nearest to the Pin Men: Ian Nalder.

Longest Drive Ladies: Ingrid Baum.

Longest Drive Men: Ian Nalder.

Winner Division I for Men: Sam Gunaratne.

Winner Division II for Men: Mike Penn.

Ladies Gross winner: Dess Margaret Penn 102

Men's Gross winner: Ian Tait 84.

Ladies Mett winner: Pauline Morley: 83 Nett.

Men's Nett winner; Ian Nalder: 76 Nett.