New Delhi: India reasserted its supremacy as the golfing superpower of the region,
drubbing Sri Lanka 3-0 to clinch the fifth SAARC Golf Championship trophy at the
par-72 Delhi Golf Club on Sunday.
This was India's fifth consecutive victory and the fourth time that it beat Sri
Lanka in the finals. Last year India beat Bangladesh when the tournament was played
at the Classic Golf Resort.
In the final, which was played on match play format, Jaideep Patwardhan was a 6&4
winner against N Amaraprathama while India's No 1 amateur Keshav Misra won 3&2
against JMD Indika Santha.
The Best Individual Player of the Championship title was bagged by Harinder Gupta
who was pushed to 19th hole before he beat a battling B G Lalitha Kumara.
"Apart from a couple of three-putts, I played a solid round. I am happy to have
played a role in India's victory, more so because I made it to the team at the last
minute," said Patwardhan, who replaced Sandy Lehal in the team when the latter
pulled out on personal grounds.
Indika Santha gave a scare to Misra by winning the first two holes with birdies. But
the Indian No 1 amateur pulled back and won the next five holes at a stretch before
finishing the match on the 16th hole.
"I putted miserably throughout the tournament, but somehow managed to pull it
through. It was very satisfying to win the SAARC trophy for my country at my home
course," said Misra.
PTI