Lankans are the final hurdle in India’s way

New Delhi, February 3: Playing a superb game, Sri Lanka staged a dramatic comeback and with a two-day strokeplay tally of five-over 293 set up a title clash with hosts India in the third SAARC Golf Championship.

India tallied one-over 289 to top the team list in the strokeplay contest. Bangladesh were placed third with a total of 326, while Bhutan at 333 and Nepal at 334 were placed fourth and fifth respectively. Ashok Kumar emerged the individual strokeplay winner with a two-day tally of two-under 142. Ashok carded a level-par 72 today. Tomorrow’s matchplay will be preceded by the Friendship Trophy involving 120 amateur participants including some of the corporate world’s leading members.

Tissa Chandradasa and Anura Rohana were the stars for the Sri Lankans. Tissa returned the best score of the day, a two-under 70, which included birdies on the 8th, 14th, 15th and 18th and bogeys on the 6th and 9th. On the 6th, Chandradasa chipped to five feet from the pin and failed to convert the simple par chance, while after finding the left bush with his tee shot on the 9th, he recovered well to make a bogey. Anura Rohana, the top ranked Sri Lankan player had a brilliant run in the first half with a birdie start to his round followed by two more birdies on the 4th and 8th holes.