Golf: Navy wins 2nd Defence Services Championship in Nuwara Eliya

The 2nd Defence Services Golf Championship played among Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force was held at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Course with Navy claiming the title. 

Sri Lanka Navy won the championship with an aggregate Stableford Score of 223 points from the Air Force who clinched the runner-up berth with 210 points. 

Each Force was represented by 10 players and all 10 scores were counted and Army was placed third with 195 points. 

The Event was under the guidance of the Commander of the Navy as the host of 2nd Defence Services Golf Championship 2016. 

The Sri Lanka Navy winning team score of 223 was boosted by an excellent performance of 34 points Stableford Gross by OD. D.M.P.P. Bandara who won the Trophy for the Best Player in the championship. 

The Defence Services Championship was followed by an Open Individual Tournament attracting 52 players. 

There was a special open category for Over-40 age group and Captain K.M.M.P. Karunathilaka of the Navy outplayed 15 Comrades from the three forces to become the champion with 15 Gross Points. 

Commodore S. J. Kumara also of the Navy was the runner-up with 12 points. 

OD.D. G.D.D. Perera (Danusha) of the Navy played outstanding golf to become the Open Tournament Champion with 33 Gross points relegating LAC. T. Jayaseelan of the Air Force to the runner-up position with 32 points. 

Special Prize for the Longest Drive on the 18th also went to Danusha Perera who converted the massive drive in to an eagle to close the round in style.

LAC. W.A.J. Wijenayake of the Air Force was the closest to the Pin on the 17th measured at 8’ 8”, an accurate strike on a tough day at the office with intermittent rain and wet weather amidst a ray of sunshine. 

The championship was followed by the awards ceremony graced by the Air Vice Marshall C.R. Gurusinghe, Chief of Staff of the SLAF, who gave away the prizes. 

Brigadier Nanda Hathurusinghe, Chairman Sri Lanka Army Golf, Air Commodore Sudarsha Pathirana, Chairman Sri Lanka Air Force Golf, Capt. Rohan Lelwala, Secretary Sri Lanka Navy Golf and Commodore Kamal Bombugalage of the Navy also gave away prizes. 

The 3rd Defence Services Championship will be played in 2018 and Sri Lanka Army are the host. 

The inaugural Defence Services Golf Championship was played in 2014, in China Bay at the Eagles Golf Links hosted by the Sri Lanka Air Force. 

The Sri Lanka Air Force was the first winner of the Challenge Shield and the game of golf was included in to the 44 disciplines of the Defense Services Sports Games. 

Results: 

Defence Services Open Golf Championship 2016 

Champions: Sri Lanka Navy (223 Gross Points) 
Runners-up: Sri Lanka Air Force (210 Gross Points)
Best Player: OD. D.M.P.P. Bandara 

Open Tournament 
Champion: OD. D.G.D.D. Perera (Navy, 33 Gross Points) 
Runner-up: LAC. T. Jayaseelan (Air Force, 32 Gross Points) 

Open Tournament Over-40 Category 
Champion: Capt. K.M.M.P. Karunathilaka (15 Gross Points) 
Runner-up: Commodore S. J. Kumara (12 Gross Points) 

Nearest to the Pin 17th: LAC. G.W.A.J. Wijenayake (Air Force) 8’ 8” 
Longest Drive 18th: OD. Danusha Perera (Navy)