Sachin de Silva crowned RCGC Club champion
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The 95th Royal Colombo Golf Club Championship was held over two weekends in August. Two qualifying rounds separated 16 of the top scorers from the rest. Defending champion Amrith de Zoysa was the leading qualifier with thirteen time winner Rusi Captain coming in second. Nuwara Eliya Club Champion Ranil Pieris and 20-year-old Sachin de Silva were the 3rd and 4th qualifiers. Vinod Weerasinghe and Armand Flamer Caldera up and coming teenagers were also among the qualifiers. There were few surprises in the match play stages and the four seeds went through to the semi-finals, where Amrith played Sachin and Rusi and Ranil faced off.
The Amrith-Sachin game was very much going Amrith’s way. He was two up playing 14 but a wayward drive lost him the hole. Both parred 15 and 16, and on 17 Sachin hit the match winning shot, 165 yard 9 iron to a few inches for a birdie to level the match. Amrith lipped out for a 10 foot birdie on 18 which would have sealed the deal. Sachin then sunk a six footer to keep the match all square and take it to sudden death. On the first playoff hole, Amrith’s second shot overshot the green and was unable to get up and down for par, while Sachin made a regulation par which saw him emerge the winner.
In the second semi-final which was also closely fought ended Ranil beating a slightly out of form Rusi, winning one up on the 18th hole.
The final between Sachin and Ranil played over 36 holes was slightly one-sided with Sachin fully on top of his game, playing two over par in the morning round to be up seven up. He played even better in the afternoon session, shooting two under par, including a stunning eagle on the 7th, to close out the game 12/11. Sachin playing almost flawless golf throughout the match play stages, emerged a worthy winner to clinch his first Royal Colombo Club Championship Title.