Taniya Minel clinches victory in a thriller playoff
The HSBC International Junior Team Championship 2018, was played at the RCGC between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in the stroke-play format in the morning, with each international team comprising two Boys and 2 Girls each.
The Sri Lankan team captained by Vinod Weerasinghe ( 75), Armand Flamer Caldera ( 74), Kayla Perera (76) and Taniya Minel Balasuiriya (70) returning the best Sri Lankan Score were the top team qualifier with a Gross Total of 295, 10 strokes clear of Pakistan on 305, who were also 10 strokes clear of the Indian Team to qualify to meet Sri Lanka in the match-play final, for the second year in succession.
As expected the Match-play format, created much interest with Taniya Minel and Kayla Perera winning the two singles matches beating Parkha Ijaz and Rimsha Ijaz, the two Pakistani sisters, respectively. However, the Pakistan duo of boys Junaid Irfan and Muhammed Saqib beat Armand Flamer Caldera and Vinod Weerasinghe respectively to ‘ Tie’ the final with two wins each.
The rules provided for a suddendeath play-off between Sri Lanka
and Pakistan but first, the ‘Toss of a Coin’ decided on whether it would be a Play- off between two girls or two boys. The Chairman of the Rules Committee, Immediate Past President of Sri Lanka Golf Union ( SLGU), Priath Fernando, summoned the two managers and the coin was tossed with heads turning up for a girls showdown.
Taniya Minel Balasuriya was
nominated for Sri Lanka, whilst Rimsha Ijaz represented Pakistan. The first hole, the first suddendeath hole played in fading light watched by a capacity crowd of juniors, parents, golfers and lovers of the game, flanked by the keen sponsors, was well played with both players three on the green and putting for Birdie. Both missed their birdie- putt very narrowly- hole halved. The second suddendeath hole, the 8th Hole at the RCGC playing very long with the ‘Ladies Tee’ placed at the back of the ‘ Men’s Tee’, found out both players with Rimsha going left of the fairway, behind the tree near the 9th Green, whilst Taniya Minel pushed her drive right of the fairway hitting the tree flush and the ball going back about 30 yards.
Taniya Minel played an excellent shot under pressure, a three wood fairway shot low enough to avoid hitting the tree, but long enough to be a ‘pitch shot’ away from the 8th Green. Rimsha, probably trying too hard and the pressure of a Pakistan victory on her shoulders, hit the tree and couldn’t make the Green with her third shot. Adva n t a g e Ta n i ya Minel Balasuriya, showing great character and golf maturity, pitched to under five feet and Rimsha Ijaz, sportingly congratulated Taniya Minel, recording a significant consecutive victory for Team Sri Lanka becoming the HSBC Inter national Junior Golf Champions 2018.
The International Junior Golf Championship sponsor HSBC, hos- pitality sponsor Cinnamon Life, clothing sponsor MAS Kreeda, IMORICH, the indulgence sponsor, OLU Water, the refreshment sponsor, Callaway Golf, the equipment sponsor, partnering the SLGU, organised by the Junior Golf SubCommittee, provided a great platform for junior golf in Sri Lanka, facilitating a wonderful tournament. The HSBC Future Lions programme reaching the grass root juniors at school level in the outstations had the participation from Killinochchi, Anuradhapura, joining the likes from Nuwara Eliya, Victoria Golf Kandy and Colombo suburb juniors training at Welisara and Royal Colombo.
The participation of 110 juniors receiving certificates of participation and the winners, runners-up receiving trophies was undoubtedly a memorable occasion in the lives of these young aspirants.
The HSBC International Junior Golf Championship spectacle was drawn to a close after the awards ceremony on a merry note with the SLGU hosting a high tea party and refreshments to the excited junior golfers and invitees, including the international participants from India, Malaysia, Pakistan and the juniors from Killinochchi, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and other schools around Colombo, Wattala and even International Schools, who were part of the Future Lions programme.