Inaugural Bens-Wesley Golf Encounter

St. Benedict’s old boys clinch Shelton Wirasinha-Bro. Alban Patrick Trophy Old boys of St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena and Wesley College competed for the prestigious Shelton Wirasinha-Bro. Alban Patrick Trophy played at the Royal Colombo Golf Club last month.

The tournament was the brainchild of Capt. Navin de Silva, President of the Old Boys Union of Wesley College Colombo.

Thirty-six players from both schools teed off for the historic event, displaying exceptional talent and sportsmanship. The main trophy was fiercely contested, with 11 players from each team engaging in match play. Old boys of St. Benedict’s College set the pace with Ruwan Silva clinching victory in the opening game, while Wesley College’s Roger Norton countered with an impressive performance. Diresh Palihena and Michael Sathasivam propelled the Benedictines forward with commanding 3/2 wins. However, Wesley staged a formidable comeback led by the indomitable Rohan Wickramaratne and Kamal Bombugalage, who secured closely, fought victories.

Finally, the old boys of St. Benedict’s College emerged victorious in a series which was characterized by a display of sportsmanship and camaraderie between the two schools, claiming six games to Wesley’s three, with one game tied. The standout player for Wesley, T. Ravi Kumar, earned the esteemed Prof. Maharoof Ismail Trophy with 41 stableford points. Meanwhile, Sunimal Salgadoe displayed his prowess for St. Benedict’s, earning the McLarens Trophy, presented by prominent old boy Rohan de Silva.

Wesley College, who are celebrating their sesquicentennial celebrations this year, also seized honors in additional competitions, with Kamal Bombugalage winning the Nearest to the Pin and Manjula Jayasinghe claiming the Longest Drive. Nishantha Perera’s exceptional performance on hidden holes secured further recognition for St. Benedict’s.

The principals of both schools presented the overall trophy to the victorious Benedictine team, marking the culmination of an unforgettable tournament. Captains Ivor Maharoof of Wesley and his counterpart Michael Sathasivam from St. Benedict’s expressed gratitude to all participants and pledged to elevate next year’s tournament with even more excitement and fanfare.

The inaugural Bens-Wesley Golf Encounter displayed the finest traditions of sportsmanship and camaraderie between the two schools with a combined history of over 300 years, setting a promising precedent for future editions of this exciting golf event.