SLPA’s Mithun Perera finishes tied second at Asian Tour Golf

Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s Mithun Perera who played through an invite spot this week made the most of his opportunity and received a huge boost as he claimed his career’s best finish at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic on Sunday (8) in Singapore.  

The promising Sri Lankan talent finished tied second at the weather-shortened US$400,000 event, one shot behind the winner Scott Hend of Australia but takes pride with his best result on the Asian Tour. After turning professional in 2010 and plying his trade on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last year, Perera made full use of his invite to the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic.

“I’m really happy because I played really good golf,” said Perera. “I don’t have a card on the Asian Tour but got a spot through an invite and I would like to thank Kyi Hla Han, the Asian Tour Executive Chairman, for giving me the chance to play in this tournament.”

 Perera further said that he struggled with distance as he averaged 275 yards off the tees while Hend averaged booming drives of 316 yards.

“It was tough for me because I’m not a long hitter and I was losing distance because of the rain. I had to rely a lot on my long irons to give myself a chance of scoring. It wasn’t easy but I’m happy with how I played,” said the promising 25-year-old, currently in 11th place on the Order of Merit.

Referring to the Asian Tour winner, Siddikur of Bangladesh, Perera said, “Siddikur has the same style of play as I do. We’re not very long but we keep it straight and rely on our short game. He’s doing really well on the Asian Tour and I’m happy about him. He gives me inspiration. We are close friends and whenever we meet, we always discuss about his experiences on the Asian Tour,” Perera is a three-time national amateur champion and also winner of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in China in 2009.

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status.