Dream 'Birdie' by caddie Rasika makes her champion

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr. At Victoria

A dream shot of a birdie in the last hole off during the 'play off' saw thirty two year old caddie from Victoria Golf and Country Resort Rasika Ekanayake became the Ladies Golf Champion at the Annual Mackwoods Ladies Stroke-Play Golf Championship organised by the Sri Lanka Golf Union and sponsored by Mackwoods Limited and supported by Victoria Golf and Country Resort at Rajawella off Kandy.

Rasika Ekanayake hardly knew the game ten years ago and after the golf course at Victoria was opened in 1999 she came here for employment as a caddie and the opportunities were very little to play the game. But with dedication and perseverance and with the support of the club officials she sharpened her skills to win many titles.

When this Ladies Golf Championship which was over three rounds tee off she had as her close opponents the defending champion Niloo Jayatillake, versatile golfer Suwen Selvaratnam, Manori Jayakoddy, Sumithra Ukwatte and another caddie Sandhya Kumari who were all top golfers. It was no easy task to get the better of them especially Niloo Jayatillake and Suwen Selvaratnam who carried away the top honours at many a championship and were in fine fettle.

In the first round Rasika got 88 and Suwen four strokes ahead with 84. On the second day Rasika came on equal terms with Suwen getting 87 and this four stroke lead was wiped off, setting the stage for a tense final round, both golfers had 171 each. Came the decisive final round and both golfers were seen in a neck to neck race and when they came to the last tee, both had equal scores of 89 and their total too was equal on 260.This deadlock had to be broken and a 'play off' was the result and both Rasika and Suwen were seen in an excruciating battle and the caddie reserved her knock out punch for the last when she birdied to romp home winner much to the amazement of all.

Apart from this duo the others to excel in the main championship were Niloo Jayatillake 269, Sandhya Kumari 273, Jane Myunogock 274, Manori Jayakoddi 276, Sumithra Ukkwatte 287, Kishani Vethavinayakam 278 and Pauline Morley 308 among a large field of golfers.

Nuwara Eliya Cup championship

Worked off concurrently was the Nuwara Eliya Cup which saw another tense battle between the talented Manori Jayakoddy and caddie from Victoria Sandhya Kumari with both golfers getting equal scores of 219 and on a count back Manori Jayakoddy won 18:72 to 18:73. Sandhya Kumari finished runner up.

Bronze prize

Shirani Baffin another regular golfer at Victoria won the Bronze prize with a score of 305 and was 5 strokes ahead of the runner up Chris Benjamin.

The daily awards were won by the following:

Day one: Margerita Berg 73

Day two: Maleena Billion 76

Day three: Sumithra Ukkwatta 77.

The Joint Managing Director of Mackwoods Limited Lalith Fonseka was the chief guest and he distributed the awards along with Errol Johnston, Sujeewa Lankatillake and Carl Kelaart.

Niloo Jayatillake who compered the show on behalf of the Sri Lanka Golf Union said that in the past this championship had been rotated in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and Victoria and the next year's event will be held at the Eagles Golf Links in China Bay which was opened for golfers last year.