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Indian golfers dominate Amateur Open contest
By Bernie Wijesekera
Twenty-year-old Amardeep Malik, one of the best young prospects making his international debut overseas made it a winning one. Playing with composure this Indian lad fought a relentless battle with manager-cum-player captain Simrajeet Singh and Vikram Rana to triumph two under par 69 - to win a gross score 281 in four rounds over Singh and Rana who tied at 283.Thus Malik emerged winner of the prestigious 113th annual open Amateur Golf Championship organised by the Sri Lanka Golf Union at the RCGC yesterday.

Close on Malik's heels was another young prospect from Sri Lanka Mithun Perera, an 18-year-old schoolboy from President's College Rajagiriya, with a gross score of 284.

The Indian trio adjusted themselves to the conditions admirably. The fourth place went to Indian C. Kumar. Last year's winner K.Prabagaram from Nuwara Eliya was fifth with 285.

Simarjeet Singh, who is here as player cum manager who won this title in the year 2000 and skipped the event in the following two years said that it was good for golf that young Malik won the title and two other Indians - Vikram Rana and Kumar finished among the first five.

"We are delighted to come to Sri Lanka and thankful to the RCGC and the SriLanka Golf Union in giving us this opportunity to play here. A special word of thanks to Dion Jayasuriya, President of the Golf Union and Secretary Priya Fernando who took great care of the foreign participants," said Simarjeet Singh.

Amardeep Malik, a second year university graduate from Meerut City, who is pursuing for a Commerce Degree said that this was his first visit overseas. He played with great dedication abd devotion. "It was my coach Romit Bose from Calcutta who really nursedand nurtured me at grassroot level. It was hard work and being mentally tough which helped me to bag the title," said Malik.

Evergreen Major General Dr. C. Thurairajah showed abundant skills to win the Havelocks senior title without much ado. India's Neha Majitha retained the women's title defeating N.H. Yoon of Korea in the 36 hole final. The chief guest was Tita Nathanielsz. The competition was sponsored by United Tractors Equipment.

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