Ahamed wins Bostock memorial golf

S.M. JIFFREY ABDEEN Kandy Sports Corr at Victoria

Azhar Fazley Ahamed once again came good at Victoria when he won the prestigious Mark Bostock Memorial Golf championship 2009 organised by the Victoria Country and Resort and worked off at the picturesque Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy.

Azhar Fazley Ahamed who earlier this year won the Rotarian International golf championship at Victoria played to a handicap of 20 and turned out to be the best among the 70 odd golfers who took the field and registered a score of 41 which was equalled by Sam Gunaratne and Noel Joseph in a close contest.

But on a count back on the last nine holes Fazley Ahamed got 9:22 to edge out his rivals by a whisker. Sam Gunaratne was just behind and rather unlucky as he got 9:21 and Noel Joseph 9:18.

The count back shows there was hardly any difference between the trio. In fourth position was Rowland Davies with 40 points and Sanjeewa Wickremanayake in fifth place with 39 points. Defending champion Chris Holloway failed to impress.

Former Vidyartha College cricketers now turned golfer Sam Gunaratne once again displayed his excellent skills he had acquired at golf - a sport which he took to, about four years, when he registered the best score in the Men’s Gross championship by getting 31 gross to lift the Ken Balendra trophy awarded for this competition.

Sam Gunaratne was in such cracking form that he got the better of seasoned golfers like Sanjeewa Wickremanayake (30), Shehan Ramanayake (28), Ian Tait (26), Nimal Wettimuni (26), Yuki Asakawa (25) and Sujeewa Lankatillake (25) all seasoned golfers. Sanjeewa Wickremanayake who finished runner up last year had to be satisfied with the same slot this year too.

Niloo Jayatillake another golfer with exceptional skills put up a plucky performance to take the Tony Witham trophy awarded for the Best Gross among the ladies.

Niloo Jayatillake enjoying a fine day was in good form with the club getting 26 gross which was two points ahead of the second placed M. Petrer and four points above the runner up another versatile golfer Suwaneetha Selvaratnam who got 20 gross.

In form Sonia Boyle had a disappointing day getting 18 gross followed by Jyoti Haynes 17 gross and Suni Nirmalingam 13 and Linda Harries 13 and Maniri Jayakoddy 13.

The Ladies Net Championship went to M. Petrer who got 36 net playing to a handicap of 11 but Niloo Jayatillake was ahead of her 36 gross playing to a handicap of 10. But the rules allow only one title in the main competitions.

Finishing runner up was third placed Jyoti Hayns who got 34 net playing to a handicap of 21. Linda Harris got 33 followed by Sonia Boyle 32, Manori Jayakoddy 30, Suni Nirmalingam 29 and Suwaneetha Selvaratnam 26. The Men’s Net championship was won by Noel Joseph who playing to a handicap of 20 got 40 nett.

But above him on a count back were Azhar Fazley Ahamed and Sam Gunaratne but this duo had won a title each in the main championship. Rowland Davies finished runner up playing to a handicap of 27.

Also getting good scores were Sanjeewa Wickremanayake 39 (handicap 9), Sunil Udalagama 38 (handicap 20) and Bo Lindberg 36 (handicap 20), Vidush Rajendra 36 (handicap 27) and A. Sirath Kasturiratne 35 (handicap 15).

The results:

Longest Drive: Men: Damindra Fernando. Ladies: Niloo Jayatillake.

Nearest to the Pin: Gents: Azhar Fazley Ahamed. Ladies: Joan Moore.

Ladies Net Championship: Winner: M. Petrer. Runner-up: Jyoti Haynes.

Ladies Gross Championship: Winner: Niloo Jayatillake. Runner-up: Suwaneetha Selvaratnam.

Men’s net Championship: Winner: Noel Joseph. Runner-up: Davies Rowland.

Men’s Gross Championship: Winner: Sam Gunaratne. Runner-up: Sanjeewa Wickremanayake.Mark Bostock Memorial Trophy: Winner is Azhar Fazley Ahamed.