Mithun Perera follows father's footsteps

Birdies the Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Title

By Ranjan Anandappa

Nineteen year old Mithun Perera won the 119th Sri Lanka Open Amateur Golf Championship 2006 defeating his closest rival and defending champion Mohammed. S. Rahman of Bangladesh by four strokes on the final day at the Royal Colombo Golf Club Course yesterday.

Featuring in a final of this nature is nothing new for Mithun as he had previously participated in the Hong Kong Amateur Championship where he became the runner up and in the last year's Sri Lanka Open Amateur Championship he secured the third place.

It was a special day for the teenager who will turn 20 on boxing day as he defeated the defending champion Mohammed Rahman from Bangladesh with a mature display.

Mithun Perera is the only son of former champion golfer Nandasena Perera who held the title for three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. He is a GCE (A/L) student at President's College, Rajagiriya, and has inherited the passion for golf from his father Nandasena. He has an elder sister and a younger one.

"I used to accompany my father when I was a small boy when developed the passion for golf. I played junior cricket and soccer while at school, but I feel golf is my first love," said Mithun Perera.

The champion Mithun Perera started off the last round with a handy four stroke lead over the title holder Rahman and compatriot Tissa Chandradasa who were sharing the second place. Rahman birdied the first hole to reduce the lead to three strokes. He further went to bridge the gap by birdying the 6th, but with water on the 7th hole dropped a shot.

Mithun bogeyed the 5th and 6th and saw his lead reduced to two strokes at the half way mark. Chandradasa in the meantime played steadily but could not make close the gap with the two leaders.

The back nine showed a keen tussle between Mithun and Rahman, with Rahman birdying the 11th and 12th, but Mithun was equal to the task birdying the 12th, 13th and 14th with a comfortable three stroke lead.

Mithun concentrated in playing par golf, ensuring him not getting into problems. Rahman had to make birdies to bridge the gap and found himself in the bunkers in the 15th and 17th holes there by eliminating any chances he had by catching up with the winners.

A birdie on the 18th hole gave Mithun a convincing win of four strokes from Rahman, with Chandradasa third a further three strokes behind.

Top ten

Mithun Perera (274)	67, 69, 69, 69
M. S. Rahman (278)	67, 69, 73, 69
Tissa Chandradasa (281)	70, 69, 70, 72
M. Arumugam (286)	69, 72, 71, 74
Shaurya Singh (287)	70, 73, 72, 72
M. Amarapathma (287)	71, 73, 70, 73
Shahid Khan (287)	72, 70, 72, 73
Muhammed Ali Hai (289)	70, 72, 75, 72
Jasjeet Singh (291)	70, 72, 75, 74
Safdar Khan (293)	70, 74, 74, 75

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