Mithun in the lead

At the end of the second round of UTE-Cat Sri Lanka open Golf Championship 2011, Mithun Perera shot a 4 under par 67 to move into the lead by 1 stroke from overnight leader K. Prabagaran who was 1 under par 70. The defending champ Anura Rohana improved steadily with a 4 under par joint best card for the day with ‘tour compatriot’ Mithun Perera. Anura Rohana shares second place with Prabagaran merely 1 shot away.

The rest of the field is staggered with a total of 2 over par been the best of the rest. Tissa Chandradasa and Vijitha Bandara are tied on 144.The Professionals seem to have established themselves in the lead and settled down to fight it out for the Championship in what appears to be a 3 way battle.

Mithun after a modest start of 1 over after 4 holes fired birdies on the 5th,6th,7th and 9th to be 3 under at the turn and topped it up with another 2 birdies on the back nine and a dropped a shot on the 12th to finish with the joint best card of the day 67. On the other hand Anura Rohana played steady golf with only one bogey on the 11th and 5 birdies on the 7th ,8th ,10th ,14thand 15thto card a 4 under par.

Prabagaran the star of the first day started the second round with a birdie but had a double bogey on the 3rd, and still rallied with birdies on the 7th and 9th to be one under at the turn which he held to the end.

The ‘Cut-off’ was applied with a joint 40th place of 166 making it to the final 2 rounds of the Sri Lanka Open Golf Championship.There were no major surprises with ‘ageing’ 7- time Champion Nandasena Perera, the RCGC Professional Jehan de Saram tied on 157 (22nd place) and Jessie Perera another former champ scraping through on 166.

In the Inaugural UTE-Cat Challenge Trophy open to members of RCGC, NEGC, Victoria Golf and Country Resort and Eagle Golf Links, China bay Trincomalee was a resounding success with several participants and coincidentally, was won by the Captain of the RCGC S. Vairavanathan with a 2 round Gross total of  152.The 1st round leader Nimal Wettimuni was the Runner-up 5 strokes behind.

The Inaugural Ladies tournament for members for the Pam Fernando Challenge Trophy had a strong contingent from Victoria Golf Club.However the Winner was Shayanika Fernando (RCGC) with a 2 round Gross total of 160 while the 1st Round Leader Niloo Jayathilake ‘blew-up’ to be 8 strokes behind overall.

Leader Board – UTE Cat Sri Lanka Open Golf Championship 2011

135 – Mithun Perera 68, 67

136 – R.A.Anura Rohana 69, 67 - K.Prabagaran 66, 70

144 – Vijitha Banadara 71, 73 – Tissa Chandradasa 70, 74

145 – N. Thangaraja 73, 72 – Zen Dharmarathne 70, 75

147 – M. Amarapadma 77, 70 – M. Arumugam 72, 75

148- Danusha Perera 72, 76

Inaugural UTE – Cat Challenge Trophy 2012 – Men

Results

Winner – Sanjiv Vairavanathan 152 (78, 74 Gross Score)

Runner-up – Nimal Wettimuni 157 (76, 81 Gross Score)

Inaugural Pam Fernando Challenge Trophy 2012 – Ladies

Results

Winner – Shayanika Fernando 160 (80, 80 Gross Score)

Runner-up – Niloo Jayathilake 168 (79, 89 Gross Score)