Golf: Rashid Khan wins JAT Sri Lanka Open 2016 in sensational finish

Multiple Winner in the Asian Tour Rashid Khan from Bangalore, India, came from 4 strokes behind Hole-in-One sensation Syed Saqib Ahmed to become the first overseas player to Win the Sri Lanka Open first played in 1970.

During the last 3 years since the Sri Lankan professionals have made an impact on the Indian Tour, Indian Professionals too started competing in the Sri Lanka Open.

The JAT Sri Lanka Open 2016 with a Prize Purse of Two Million five Hundred Thousand Rupees attracted an excellent international challenge and in windy conditions and slick greens and a well prepared Course posed a great challenge to return low scores.

It was only the Top 3 from India who were under par with Rashid Khan firing Two Birdies and an Eagle on the 14th, 15th and 17th to seal his first Victory on Sri Lankan soil.

Syed Saqib Ahmed and Rashid Khan started the final round Tied on4 under par, but soon Saqib opened with a Birdie on the 1st, dropped a shot on the Par 3, 4th hole but Birdied his ‘Hole in One Hole’ the 6th, then the 7th and 10th to be 4 strokes ahead of Rashid. 

However, Rashid Birdied 14th to Saqib’s Par and then the impossible happened, when Saqib had a double Bogey on the Par 5, 15th where Rashid fired an Eagle to go 1 stroke ahead. 

Saqib made three Pars on 16th, 17th& 18th but Rashid sealed the deal with an amazing Birdie on the tough Par 4, 17th Hole to capture the JAT Sri Lanka Open 2016 by 2 strokes. 

Whilst the battle for the Jat Open was on, Khalin Joshi quietly birdied the 12th, 14th and final 18th Hole to return a 3 under closing Round and crept up on Syed Saqib Ahmed to Tie for 2nd place on 5 under par overall.

B.A. Sanjeewa and Anura Rohana tied in 4th place, whilst defending champion Thangaraja tied with Mithun Perera in 6th place. 

Danyaal Jehangir from Pakistan finished in 8th place, with 2015 runner-up M. Dharma and dual winner in 2013 and 2014, Prabagaran completing the Top 10.

Final Standings

1: 277 – Rashid Khan (Ind) Winner

2: 279 – Khalin Joshi (Ind), Syed Saqib Ahmed (Ind)

3: 286 – Anura Rohana, B.A. Sanjeewa

4: 287 – Mithun Perera, N. Thangaraja

5: 288 – Danyaal Jehangir (Pak)

6: 289 – M. Dharma

7: 290 – K. Prabagaran

8: 292 – B. G. Lalith Kumara

9: 293 – Pradeep Kumara

10: 294 - Vijitha Bandara, Sisira Kumara, Waseem Rana (Pak)