Lakmal Gunawardhana, a retired Wing Commander and Praveena Dunuwille stole the limelight as the most outstanding winners in the men’s and women’s categories respectively at the Commander’s Cup golf championship worked off at the Eagle’s Golf Links in Trincomalee last Saturday.
Lamidu Rainika secured the Runners-Up position in the men’s segment while Roshini Sangani secured the women’s Runners-Up position.
Rainika and Lieutenant Commander Rajinder Singh received awards for the longest drive and the nearest to the pin in the men’s category while Praveena Dunuwille and Frank De Mel took the honours for the longest drive and the nearest to the pin respectively in the women’s segment.
According to the organisers, to encourage participation from lower handicappers, two awards for Gross Winner were also included and the prizes were grabbed by Rainika and Niloo Jayathilake in the two categories.
The tournament, played under Handicap rules was open to some 120 golfers both local and foreign and the first tee-off was made by the commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa.
The Eagles’ Challenge Trophy presented to members of the Tri-Services was won by Group Captain Chrishantha Fernando and for the first time the award was presented to Wing Commander Lakshmi Kotuwegoda in the women’s segment.
Air Commodore Erandika Gunawardhana and Captain Saumya Ranahansala were the Runners-up.
Group Captain Chrishantha Fernando secured the award for the longest drive while Group Captain Chandu Chandrasekara bagged the award for the nearest to the pin in the Eagles’ Challenge Trophy segment.
The awards presentation was graced by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha and Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa.
Pictures by Sulochana Gamage
