Prabagaran proves why he is known as King of NE
Prabagaran with the coveted trophy
Home town boy K. Prabagaran celebrated yet another golf victoryamidst a ‘happy’ home crowd and the rendering of ‘felicitation fire crackers’ as he comfortably clinched the Sri Lanka Open by seven strokes. He won the prestigious and only ‘Golf Open’ Championship providing the platform to talented Golfers who are non-members of any recognised Golf Club to display their skills and bring glory to Sri Lanka at the Nuwara Eliya Golf links.
Currently Prabagaran, Mithun Perera, Anura Rohana, Thangaraja, Vijitha Bandara, Lalith Kumara play on the PGTI (Professional Golf Tour of India) and they are worthy ambassadors for Sri Lanka with Anura Rohana currently ranked 4th in the PGTI and Mithun, Thangaraja and Prabagaran winning on the PGTI.
Prabagaran won the Sri Lanka Open for the 3rd time, having won in 2014 and 2015 at the RCGC. The Sri Lanka Open prize purse of Rs.1,000,000.00 guaranteed by the Sri Lanka Golf Union was facilitated by the Principal Sponsor Softlogic Holdings, Co-sponsor CAT Solar – UTE,whilst goodwill sponsorship from caring good golfers and Elephant House Ice Cream, contributed to the successful completion of the 2017 Sri Lanka Open.
Prabagaran was followed by Anura Rohana and Mithun Perera who battled for second place all the way to the line and eventually tied for the joint runner-up berth. Incidentally Anura Rohana looking for his record 8th win and Mithun trying to win the Sri Lanka Open for the 1st time are both sponsored by Softlogic Holdings group on the Professional Tour.
The top eight places in the 2017 Sri Lanka Open six professionals dominated whilst the leading Amateur duo of B A Sanjeewa and G P Sisira Kumara finished in joint 4th& 6th respectively. Anura Rohana returned the best card of 67, 4 under par, for the final round to force a Tie for Runner-up with Mithun.
Softlogic also gifted a special prize to B A Sanjeewa for a his achievement in the 2nd Round of the Sri Lanka Open when he ‘Holed-in-One’ on the Par 3, tough 15th hole.
Anura Rohana (L) and Mithun Perera (R) were placed joint second
Niloo Jayathilaka represented Softlogic holdings and gave away the special prize of a “Softlogic Prism TV” and the Winners Cheque to Prabagaran.
President Nuwara Eliya Golf Club Maj Gen.(Rtd) Srinath Rajapakse, spoke on behalf of the host Club and expressed his thanks to the SLGU for playing the Sri Lanka Open in NEGC after a lapse and requested to play this prestigious event in NEGC on a regular basis.
President SLGU Mr. Priath Fernando speaking on the occasion thanked the NEGC Captain and the Committee for the support extended to conduct a successful Open Championship. President also thanked the NEGC Secretary, Staff and especially the ground staff for the smooth arrangements. The President NEGC Srinath and Captain NEGC Firaz Hameed gave away the Runner-up prizes to the Joint 2nd place finishers Mithun Perera and Anura Rohana.
The CAT SOLAR Pin Fernando Grand Prix sponsored by UTE for 2017, August edition played concurrently was won by B A Sanjeewa by one stroke from G P Sisira Kumara who celebrated his birthday with an Even Par 71 to also clinch joint 6th place with top Pro Tour Professional N. Thangaraja in the Sri Lanka Open. M U Chanaka Perera finished in 3rd place.
Final results Sri Lanka open 2017 – top ten:
Winner K. Prabagaran receives the prize money Niloo Jayathilaka
274 – K. Prabagaran (65,71,69,69) winner
281 – R A Anura Rohana (69,74,71, 67,) Mithun Perera (73, 71, 69, 68)
291 – B G Lalith Kumara, B A Sanjeewa
292 – N Thangaraja, G P Sisira Kumara
305 – Vijitha Bandara, R Pathmanathan
307 – K. Soundarajan, M U Chanaka Perera
Final scores CAT SOLAR Pin Fernando Grand Prix August edition
291 – B A Sanjeewa
292 – G P Sisira Kumara
307 – M U Chanaka Perera
309 – J M D Indika, T Akash
311 – N Amarapadma
313 – D M P P Bandara
314 – Navinda Ranga
318 – M H Chalitha Pushpika, G M Pradeep Kumara