Shakeel Pillay of the Denarau Golf Club has emerged victorious in the amateur division at the 54th RC Manubhai Ba Open, achieving an impressive score of 142. This marks his first triumph at the esteemed tournament and serves as a moment of redemption after his close call the previous year.
The 19-year-old expressed his joy, stating, “It feels good to win this year. I feel it was redemption after last year’s performance.” Looking ahead, Pillay has aspirations of competing in international tournaments, with plans to participate in events in Australia starting in January.
Pillay’s dedication to practice, often alongside his father at the Denarau Golf Club, has played a crucial role in his success. In the overall gross category, Jalen Raman finished as the runner-up with a score of 144, while Christopher Daniel took home the overall nett title with a score of 130, narrowly surpassing Ganesh Chand, who scored 131.
In the A grade 36-hole gross category, Asish Chand took the win with a score of 145, followed by Isei Waqa (150) and Indra Warjan (152). The nett division saw Jainendra Prasad securing the top position at 139, ahead of Ashwin Sharma and Rohit Chandra, who both finished at 142.
The B grade saw Sikipio claim the gross title with a score of 158, with Sailesh Kumar (159) and Abdul Khan (162) following. The nett category was tightly contested, with Samisoni Mara and Naleen Sharma both finishing with 133, just ahead of Damon Chen, who scored 134.
In the C grade gross category, Sunil Sharma led with a score of 178, followed by Sanjay Singh (180) and Mohit Prasad (181). In the nett division, Kamal Sharma topped the leaderboard with a score of 137, with Sanjay Sharma and Yash Kumar finishing closely behind at 138 and 139, respectively.
The women’s division showcased strong talent as well, with Raina Kumar dominating the overall gross category with a score of 150. Seni Loga took the overall nett title with a score of 130, closely followed by Seini Lewai (138) and Lusiana Leqa (140).
The excitement extended to the professional division, where Zoheer Ahmad clinched the title, besting runner-up Roneel Prakash. This year’s event not only highlighted outstanding individual performances but also showcased the depth of talent within Fiji’s golfing community, indicating a promising future for the sport in the region.
In summary, this year’s Ba Open was a remarkable showcase of skill and determination, exemplified by Shakeel Pillay’s journey to victory. With aspirations for international competition, it’s clear that Fiji’s golfing landscape is ripe for growth and talent development.
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