Isipathana ‘B’ wins 2017 RCGC Inter-School Golf Championship

Organised by the DONS of D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo for the fifth consecutive year in association with the Royal Colombo Golf Club ( RCGC), the 2017 edition attracted 21 Schools comprising 46 teams of four players per team. The Inter- School Championship worked out on the Stableford format, where the best 3 scores from each team counted for the aggregate total Nett with Isipathana College ‘B’ cruising to a comfortable victory, winning the Inter- S chool Championship Challenge Trophy 2017.

The RCGC Inter- S chool Golf Championship ' DONS' committee comprising Rohith Silva Chairman, Malik Ahamdeen, President of DONS, Mihindu Chandrasoma, Tournament Director, Tyrone Weerackkody, Committee Member, did a marvelous job creating “Big Match fever, Big- Match atmosphere with the ‘papare’ band in attendance and refreshments galore”, having introduced the Inter School Golf Championship in 2013. The inaugural champions were Royal College, followed by Ananda C o l l e g e, Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya and last year was won by Combined International Schools.

The Inter- School Golf Championship has indeed become the most popular event at the RCGC, now a feature event in the RCGC calendar and was taken to another level this year, with the Inter- School Challenge Trophy delivered to the venue, by helicopter and handed over to the Captain of the Royal Colombo Golf Club Ranil Pathirana, by Rohith Silva, the Tournament Committee Chairman and Malik Ahamdeen, President DONS.

The title sponsors of the 2017 InterSchool Golf Championship, Aquafina – Varun Beverages and DFCC Bank, duly gave away the main awards. Co-sponsors MAS Holdings, Amante, Kingsbury Hotel, Uni- Tec Fire and Security Systems, Metropolitan Agencies, Emirates, Dream Holidays, Akbar Brothers, Meguiars Sri Lanka, Shangri la Hambantota, Mandarina Hotel, Pro- Golf, E- Wis Computers, I DAC - DAIKIN, Steamboat Restaurant and Senok Aviation, the cream of the corporate world joined to help the organisers give-away 42 outstanding prizes to the winners at the entertainment filled sumptuous fellowship dinner which followed the elegant prize giving.

Underdogs Isipathana ‘B’ team comprising Ravi Liyanage, Parasanna Gunathilake, B. M. R. Preena and Anura Somarathne cruised to a comfortable victory amassing a Total Nett aggregate of 120 points to clinch the trophy for 2017, 11 points clear of the runners-up, S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia ‘B’ team, who in-turn were 3 points ahead of the 2nd runners-up St. Joseph's College ‘C’ team.

However, St. Joseph's College ‘A’ team comprising Conrad Abraham, Kamlesh Johnpillai, Kushal Johnpillai and Nilkamal Perera, won the aggregate Team Gross with a Total of 78 points, from STC Mt. Lavinia ‘ B’ team who scored 69 points from the ‘Clubs’ of Ranil Peiris, Damindra Fernando, Christopher Dias and Ranshan Gomez, who were the runners- up in the main Nett Championship event too.

Several special prizes were won for the nearest to the Pin on all 4 short holes, longest drive on the 8th and 15th Holes, the closest to the water on the 1st hole and the fanciest prize of them all, the Best Dressed Team among all and the winners were the handsome Ananda College ‘ Men’ beating the gorgeously dressed ‘ ladies’ from Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya.

Nonetheless, the feature golf was produced by the winner of the best Nett score individual victor, Ravi Liyanage of Isipathana, who not only won the Best Individual Score with an amazing 47 points, but was also instrumental in ensuring victory of the Inter-School Golf Championship Challenge Trophy 2017 for Isipathana. Trinitian Nihal Wadugodapitiya was the Individual Nett Runner- up with 40 points. In the Ladies individual battle Sumithra Ukwatte of Musaeus College won with 37 points from Derna de Silva of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya 34 points, on a count back.

A salute to the Royal Colombo Golf Club for hosting and organising a wonderful event which brings together the camaraderie of schools and the inexplicable myth of Inter- School rivalry and of course unparalleled fellowship and banter, adding that extra flavour to the spirit of the game of golf.