Lee, Matabadal take top honours at BC Open

Wan Ju Lee and Karina Matabadal produced commanding performances on the second and final day of the Brechin Castle (BC) Open to take the top prizes, as the 2018 golf season got underway at Brechin Castle Golf Course, Couva, last weekend.

Lee shot a final day 74 to complete a six-shot victory over defending champion Arjoon Samlal (152) and Angard Sonnilal (152) in the men’s championship flight.

The Coker College student is on holiday in Trinidad and sharpened up for an upcoming match in the Spring Kick-Off Intercollegiate at Orange Park, Florida, with a dominant victory.

Lee, who was born in South Korea, has represented TT in junior and senior golf.

Matabadal produced a thrilling come-from-behind victory to reclaim the BC title she lost to Serena McKenzie in 2017. The TT junior and senior golfer recovered from a five-shot deficit to win the title with a final day 79.

She pipped fellow TT junior players Sarah Ramphal and McKenzie, who both finished on 167 strokes, by a single shot to claim the first major women’s crown of the year.

The men’s first flight was an exciting affair with Kumar Ramcharan (166) holding off a furious charge from Tommy Smith (165) to win by a stroke.

Asa Roopchand, son of former national women’s player Violet Roopchand, also fell two shots short in third place.

In the men’s second flight, Mano Kissoon (175) strolled to a five-shot victory, finishing ahead of Amral Ali (180) and Pooran Singh (184).

The BC Open was the first tournament of the 2018 TT Golf Association golf calendar.

Men’s Championship Flight
1 Wan Ju Lee - 146
2 Arjoon Samlal - 152
3 Angard Sonnilal - 152

Men’s First Flight
1 Kumar Ramcharan - 164
2 Tommy Smith - 165
3 Asa Roopchand - 166

Men’s Second Flight
1 Mano Kissoon - 175
2 Amral Ali - 180
3 Pooran Singh - 184

Women’s Division
1 Karina Matabadal - 166
2 Sarah Ramphal - 167
3 Serena McKenzie - 167