Prabagaran wins Sri Lanka Open 2017 by 7 strokes

K. Prabagaran comfortably clinched the Sri Lanka Open 2017 golf championship by seven strokes, held after a lapse of several years, amidst a happy home crowd.

Prabagaran won the prestigious and only ‘Golf Open’ Championship in the country, facilitated by Softlogic Holdings as Principal Sponsor of the tournament, providing a platform for talented golfers who are non-members of any recognised golf club to display their skills and bring glory to Sri Lanka.

Prabagaran, Mithun Perera, AnuraRohana, Thangaraja, Vijitha Bandara, Lalith Kumara play on the PGTI (Professional Golf Tour of India) and they are worthy ambassadors for Sri Lanka, with Anura Rohana currently ranked 4th in the PGTI and Mithun, Thanga and Praba winning on the PGTI.

Prabagaran won the Sri Lanka Open for the third time, having won in 2014 and 2015 at the RCGC. The Sri Lanka Open prize purse of Rs.1 million guaranteed by the Sri Lanka Golf Union was facilitated by the Principal Sponsor Softlogic Holdings, Co-sponsor CAT Solar - UTE, whilst goodwill sponsorship from caring good golfers and Elephant House Ice Cream contributed to the successful completion of the 2017 Sri Lanka Open.

Prabagaran was followed by Anura Rohana and Mithun Perera who battled for second place all the way to the line and eventually tied for the joint runner-up berth. Incidentally, Anura Rohana looking for his record eighth win and Mithun trying to win the Sri Lanka Open for the first time are both sponsored by Softlogic Holdings group on the Professional Tour.

The top eight places in the 2017 Sri Lanka Open six professionals dominated while the leading amateur duo of B. A. Sanjeewa and G. P. Sisira Kumara finished in joint 4th and 6th respectively. Anura Rohana returned the best card of 67, 4 under par, for the final round to force a tie for runner-up with Mithun.

Softlogic also gifted a special prize to Sanjeewa for a spectacular achievement in the second round of the Sri Lanka Open when he ‘Holed-in-One’ on the Par 3, tough 15th hole.

Niloo Jayathilaka represented Softlogic Holdings and gave away the special prize of a “Softlogic Prism TV” and the Winners Cheque to Prabagaran on behalf of Ashok Pathirage, Chairman Softlogic Holdings PLC. 

President Nuwara Eliya Golf Club Maj Gen. (Rtd) Srinath Rajapakse, spoke on behalf of the host Club and expressed his thanks to the SLGU for playing the Sri Lanka Open in NEGC after a lapse, and requested to play this prestigious event in NEGC on a regular basis.

President SLGU Priath Fernando speaking on the occasion thanked the NEGC Captain and the Committee for the support extended to conduct a successful Open Championship. Fernando also thanked the NEGC Secretary, Staff and especially the ground staff for the smooth arrangements. NEGC President Srinath Rajapakse and NEGC Captain Firaz Hameed gave away the runner-up prizes to the joint second place finishers Mithun Perera and Anura Rohana. The Winners Champion Sri Lanka Open Trophy was handed over by SLGU President Fernando, while Niloo Jayathilaka handed the Winners Cheque to Prabagaran on behalf of Softlogic Holdings Chairman Ashok Pathirage.

The CAT SOLAR Pin Fernando Grand Prix sponsored by UTE for 2017, August edition played concurrently was won by B. A. Sanjeewa by one stroke from G. P. Sisira Kumara who celebrated his birthday with an Even Par 71 to also clinch joint sixth place with top Pro Tour Professional N. Thangaraja in the Sri Lanka Open. M. U. Chanaka Perera finished in third place.