Surain and Niloo win Commander’s Cup golf
Surain Premathilaka and Niloo Jayathilake emerged champions at the Commander’s Cup – 2020 Annual Golf Tournament hosted by the Sri Lanka Air Force and the Eagles’ Golf Links in China Bay, Trincomalee.
The tournament, played in a Stableford format was open to all and started off at 0700 hrs with the participation of 102 golfers from Sri Lanka and two ambassadors Han Thu Ambassador of Myanmar and I. Gusti Ngurah Ardiyas Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia.
Surain Premathilake playing off a handicap of 16 won the Commander’s Cup 2020 securing the highest score of 40 points in the Gents Division while. Niloo Jayathilake playing with a handicap of 9 won the Ladies’ Trophy with a total score of 36 points.
“I never play to win the tournament. I enjoy playing with colleagues. I play for the passion of it and because of the camaraderie in the golfing community,” said Premathilaka, 47, a Chartered Marketeer who won the Army Highlanders Cup in Diyatalawa in 2018.
Jayathilaka lauded the organisation of the event and was fascinated by the course.
“The course was fabulous. Actually that place should become a training ground for Sri Lanka golf,” said Jayathilaka who won the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club Championship.
Zhao Liang was placed the runner up of Gents Division with 28 points. Roshini Sangani was the runner up in the Ladies Division with 31 points. Lt Cdr H.M. Udawatta and Zhao Liang received the award for the longest drive while Major General N.A. Dharamarathne and Rohan de Silva received the award for the closest to the pin in the gents category, while Dr. Pravina Dunuwila took the honours for the longest drive in the ladies category.
Eagles Challenge Trophy presented to members of the Tri-Services (Men) was won by Lt Cdr Udawatta while Lt Cdr R.M.R.C. Rathnayake emerged as the runner up.
The awards were given away at a gala awards ceremony held at Club House during the afternoon of the same day. The Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sumangala Dias and Mrs. Mayuri Prabhavi Dias were present at the links and at the afternoon’s awards ceremony to watch the golfers in action and to give away the awards.
Chief of Staff of SLAF Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Chairman of SLAF Golf, Air Commodore Prasanna Ranasinghe, and Acting Commandant of SLAF Academy China Bay, Group Captain S.D.G.M. Silva also participated in the tournament.