The Eagles’ Golf Links hosted the annual Commander’s Trophy Golf Tournament yesterday (1st June 2013) at the Sri Lanka Air Force’s own Golf Links in the picturesque settings of China Bay, close to the harbor city of Trincomalee.

The tournament, played under the ‘Stableford rules’ was open to all and started off at 0730 hrs with the participation of eighty enthusiastic golfers which included Suvaneetha Selvaratnam, Neesha Nirmalalingam, Danushi Senadhira, Nilu Jayathileke, Anusha Senadhira, Suni Nirmalalingam, Sanjeev Vairavanathan, Sujeewa Lankathilake, Kushal Johnpillai, Sidath Weththamuni, Amal Cabraal, Maj Gen Srinath Rajapakse, Sachin De Silva and Sohayb Sangani.

The challenge was spiced up with enjoyable and unique rounds of golf on Bermuda grass fairways comprising a 18 hole course with remote sand bunkers, roughs and of course doglegs right and left. The golfers however, rose to the challenge and displayed excellent performance throughout the tournament.

Mr. Ananda Jayasekara won the Commander's Trophy for 2013 securing the highest marks in the Gents Division of 30 points while Mrs. Manori Jayakodi won the Ladies' Trophy with a total score of 32 points.  Mr. Chandana Weerasinghe was placed the runner up of Gents Division with 29 points. Mr. Rohith Silva and Mrs.Nilika Weerasinghe received awards for the longest drive and for the nearest to the pin respectively.

Of significance was the fact that new tournament filled a long awaited need amongst the golfing fraternity for a new challenging competition in a unique location. The awards were given away at a gala awards night held at ‘Bay view’ restaurant of the Eagles’ Golf Links during the evening of the same day. The Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama was present on the links and at the evening's awards night to watch the golfers in action and to give away the awards. 

The Chairman SLAF Golf Air Vice Marshal KVB Jayampathy, Director Aeronautical Engineering Air Vice Marshal PDJ Kumarasiri, Director Electronic & Telecommunication Engineering Air Vice Marshal RJ Pathirage,  Commandant SLAF Academy China Bay Air Commodore SK Pathirana and a few retired Directors of the Air Force Board of Management also participated in the tournament.