THANGARAJA OVERCOMES DULAL TO RETAIN SRI LANKA GOLF TITLE
Thangaraja was the hot favourite to lift the title when the championship got underway on September 3 where golfers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Malaysia battled for supremacy
Defending Sri Lanka Amateur golf champion Nadarajah Thangaraja kept up to his supporters’ expectations when he retained the Sri Lanka Amateur golf title with a 3 and 2 win over Mohammad Dulal of Bangladesh in the final of the 125th Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Championship played at the RCGC yesterday.
Thangaraja was the hot favourite to lift the title when the championship got underway on September 3 where golfers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Malaysia battled for supremacy.
The 18 of the 36 hole championship played in the morning session saw Thangaraja playing steady golf, stroking a couple of birdies to build a 2 up lead going into the afternoon.
The final session watched by a quite well attended crowd of golf enthusiasts were entertained to some exciting golf where Raja won the 19th to extend his lead to 3 up before Dulal birdied the 21st to make the score 2 down again.
The 22nd was halved and Thangaraja won the 23rd to be 3 up once more. After a ding-dong battle he was 3 up at the turn and Dulal who missed the chance of winning the 28th, won the 29th and missed a 10 foot birdie on the 30th (12th hole) to be 2 down to his opponent.
The 31st (13th hole) was halved and so was the 32nd hole. Dulal 2 down playing the 15th (33rd) had it all to do and pulled his tee shot left while Raja bisected the fairway and emphatically birdied the Par 5 to be 3 up. Dormie playing the 16th hole (34th) safely made par to halve the hole and seal the Sri Lanka Amateur Champion Title for 2012.
A delighted Ana Punchihewa, President of the Sri Lanka Golf Union stated that the victory underlined the hard work and rapid improvement in champion Thangaraja’s golf and emphasized the process of maturity achieved by the Sri Lankan golfers with no less than ‘Five’ National pool players reaching the last eight in the concluded championship.
The much expected challenge from the Indian contingent of reigning India amateur golf champion Angad Cheema and three time winner of the Sri Lanka Amateur championship Simarjeet Singh faded away with the two being knocked out in the second round.
Meanwhile number one seed in the Ladies championship Gursimar Badwal of India had little dif- ficulty in brushing off the challenge of Sri Lanka’s Jackie Dias whom she defeated 4 and 3 to clinch the ladies title. Results: Men’s – Semi Finals – N. Thangaraja (Sri Lanka) beat Zen Dharmaratne (Sri Lanka) 3 and 2. Mohammad Dulal (Bangladesh) beat M. Arumugam (Sri Lanka) 3 and 2.
Ladies - Semi finals - Gursimar Badwal (India) beat Nanaki Chadha (India) 8 and 7; Jackie Dias (Sri Lanka) beat Niloo Jayathilake (Sri Lanka) 19th Hole.
Final – Men – N. Thangaraja (Sri Lanka) beat Mohammad Dulal (Bangladesh) 3 and 2.
Women - Gursimar Badwal (India) beat Jackie Dias (Sri Lanka) 4 and 3.