Lankan Juniors bag HSBC golf tie
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Sri Lanka Juniors beat Pakistan Juniors in a thrilling finish to the inaugural HSBC International Junior Golf Championship, played in Ryder Cup Match-Play format, where Sri Lanka Juniors played against the Pakistan Juniors in the first-ever final of the International Junior Golf Championship organised by the Sri Lanka Golf Union.
The HSBC International Junior Golf Championship commenced with the individual event attracting 100 entries, in four age Group Categories laying the platform for the Team Championships the following day.
The Sri Lanka Golf Union International two member team Championship on stroke play including Bangladesh (two teams), Pakistan and Sri Lanka fielding three teams each.
The Pakistan Junior boys dominated the two member stroke play Team Championship winning the SLGU Junior International team Championship with the ‘A’ Team comprising Ahmed Baig(70) and Saqib (77) with an aggregate gross score of 147, five strokes clear of Pakistan ‘B’ Damil Ataulla(77) and Junaid Irfan (75) whilst third place went to the Sri Lankan pair of Januka Dilshan(74) and T. Akash (79).
However, in the afternoon session, Pakistan faced Sri Lanka in a match-play showdown to determine the Team Champions of the HSBC International Junior Golf Championship 2017.
The six member teams comprising of four Junior Boys and two Junior Girls representing Pakistan and Sri Lanka played six singles and Sri Lanka won quite comprehensively in the end by 4.5 points to 1.5 points out of a maximum six points.
Nonetheless, the Final was gallantly fought out to the final hole, which was a closer battle than the final margin of victory. Sri Lankan Team Captain Januka Dilshan registered the first points for the team with a comfortable 5 and 3 win over Saqib, whilst Kayla Perera recorded the biggest margin of victory defeating RimshaIjaz 6 and 5. Armand Flamer Caldera registered a narrow but emphatic 1 up victory over Damil Ataulla, whilst Vinod Weerasinghe made a birdie on the 18th to halve his match against Junaid Irfan, having been one down at the last hole!
Taniya Minel Balasuriya was made to fight for her victory all the way by Suneya Osama who sank some amazing putts throughout the game to hold Taniya to All Square playing the 18th.
HSBC SRI LANKA INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 RESULTS AT A GLANCE
International Team Championship
Winners: Sri Lanka 4.5 points
Runners-up : Pakistan 1.5 points (Sri Lanka Golf Union Junior Golf Team Championship 2017
Winners: Pakistan 1- Ahmed Baig 70, Saqib 77, Aggregate 147
1st Runner up: Pakistan 2 – Damil Ataulla 77, Junaid Irfan 75, Aggregate 152
2nd Runner up: Sri Lanka 1- J. K. Januka Dilshan 74, T. Akash 79, Aggregate 153
Individual Events:
Gold Division Boys(Age Group 15-18 years)
Winner: Ahmed Baig (Pak) 73 Gross
1st R/up: Saqib (Pak) 74 Gross
2nd R/up: Januka Dilshan (SL) 75 Gross
Silver Division Boys (Age Group 12 – 14 years)
Winner: Damil Ataulla (Pak) 80 Gross
1st R/up: Dilshan Malinda 85 Gross (Count back)
2nd R/up: K. Danushan 85 Gross
Gold/ Silver combined Division Girls (Age Group 15-18+) & (Age Group 12 – 14+)
Winner: Taniya Minel Balasuriya 78 Gross
1st R/up: Kayla Perera 79 Gross
2nd R/up: Nashima Akhter (Ban) 82 Gross
Bronze Division (Age Group 10 – 11+ years) 14 Holes
Winner: Nirekh Tejwani 63 Gross
1st R/up: Pranav Muralidaran 73 Gross (count back)
2nd R/up: Shanal Binushka 73 Gross
Copper Division (Age Group 9+ & under) 09 Holes
Winner: Reshan Algama 44 Gross
1st R/up: Shinuka Fernando 47 Gross (count back)
2nd R/up: Kaya Daluwatte 47 Gross
HSBC PREMIER CATEGORY WINNERS
Gold Division Boys/Girls Premier Junior Winner (Age Group 15-18+) – Vihan De Alwis
Silver Boys/Girls Junior Premier Winner (Age Group 12 – 14+) – Kayla Perera
Bronze Junior Premier Winner (Age Group 10 – 11+) –NirekhTejwani
Copper Junior Premier Winner (Age Group 9+ & under) – Reshan Algama
The Best Overall Premier Junior Golfer for 2017 – Armand Flamer Caldera