Navy wins 2nd Defence Services Golf Championship in Nuwara Eliya
The Defence Services 2nd Golf Championship between the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force got underway at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Course.
The Inaugural Defence Services Golf Championship was played in 2014, in China Bay at the Eagles Golf Links hosted by the Sri Lanka Air Force. The Sri Lanka Air Force was the first Winner of the Challenge Shield and the game of Golf was included into the 44 disciplines of the Defense Services Sports games.
The Sri Lanka Navy won the 2nd Defence Services Golf Championship with an aggregate Stableford Score of 223 points from the Sri Lanka Air Force who clinched the runner-up berth with 210 points. Each Force was represented by 10 players and all 10 scores were counted and the Sri Lanka Army was placed third with 195 points.
The event was under the guidance of the Commander of the Navy as the Host of 2nd Defence Services Golf Championship 2016.
The Sri Lanka Navy winning teamscore of 223 was boosted by an excellent performance of 34 points Stableford Gross by OD. D M P P Bandara who won the Trophy for the Best Player in the championship.
The Defence Services Championship was followed by an Open Individual Tournament attracting 52 players. There was a special open category for over 40 age-group and Captain K. M. M. P. Karunathilaka of the Navy out played 15 comrades from the 3 forces to become the Over-40 Champion with 15 Gross Points. Commodore S. J. Kumara also of the Navy was the Runner Up with12 points.
OD.D. G. D. D. Perera (Danusha) of the Sri Lanka Navy played outstanding Golf to become the Open Tournament Champion with 33 Gross points relegating LAC. T. Jayaseelan of the Air Force to the Runner Up position with 32 points. Special prize for the Longest Drive on the 18th also went to Danusha Perera who converted the massive drive in to an eagle to close the round in style. LAC. W. A.J. Wijenayake of the Air Force was the closest to the Pin on the 17th measured at 8’ 8”, an accurate strike on a tough day at the office with intermittent rain and wet weather amidst a ray of sunshine.
The Defence Services Golf Championship was followed by the Awards Ceremony graced by the Air Vice Marshall C. R. Gurusinghe (WWV, RWP, RSP, ndc) Chief of Staff of the SLAF, who gave away the Champions Shield. Brigadier Nanda Hathurusinghe Chairman Sri Lanka Army Golf, Air Commodore Sudarsha Pathirana, Chairman Sri Lanka Air Force Golf, Capt. Rohan Lelwala, Secretary Sri Lanka Navy Golf and Commodore Kamal Bombugalage of the Navy also gave away prizes.
The 3rd Defence Services Championship will be played in 2018 and the Sri Lanka Army is the host.
England 298 Sri Lanka 91 and (1 for 0 cont)
Dimuth Karunaratne c Bairstow b Anderson Kaushal Silva c Bairstow b Anderson Kusal Mendis b Anderson Dinesh Chandimal b Ali Angelo Mathews c Bairstow b Broad Lahiru Thirimanne c Root b Finn Dasun Shanaka c Bairstow b Anderson Rangana Herath c Broad b Finn Dushmantha Chameera c Compton b Finn Shaminda Eranga not out Nuwan Pradeep b Anderson
(b lb 5 nb1 w) (all out in 35.3 overs)
1 -10, 2-35, 3-79, 4-93, 5-93, 6-101, 7-111, 8 -117, 9-118 Bowling: James Anderson13.3-5-29-5, Stuart Broad 13-0-57-1, Steven Finn 8-0-26-3, Moeen Ali 1-0-2-1 7 14 53 8 5 16 4 4 0 2 0