The Victoria Golf and Country Resort will host the 12th Annual Donald Steel Golf Championship for men and women which will be worked off at the picturesque Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy next Saturday, February 13, with the first tee off at 7.00 a.m.

According to the organisers, over 80 golfers, from Sri Lanka and abroad have entered to participate in this prestigious championship which was the maiden championship to be held after the course was opened to golfers in 1998. Since then this championship has grown in stature. With four days to go, the total number of entries is expected to reach the century mark or even exceed it.

The main competition is the Donald Steel Trophy, which is awarded to the gentleman golfer returning the best gross over the single round.

The other top events are Ebert Pot for the best Nett score, the Pam Fernando Trophy for the lady golfer returning the best gross score and the Victoria Bowl for the lady golfer registering the best Nett score.

Apart from this, there will also be separate longest drive and nearest to the Pin events for ladies and gentlemen. There will also be a putting competition for the caddies to raise funds for the caddies fund through a process of auctioning the players.

Donald Steel, the famous golf architect from the United Kingdom along with Martin Ebert designed the Victoria golf course on a 500 acre coconut plantation.

Using his vast experience and knowledge, Donald Steel blended this plantation into one of the finest golf courses in the world.

Ian Tait, a former Cheshire cricketer and ruggerite, is the defending champion of the Donald Steel Trophy. The others who will be defending the trophies which they won last year are; Ebert Pot - Suren Waas, Pam Fernando Trophy - Suven Selvaratnam and the Victoria Bowl - Roshni Sangani.

Englishman Martin Ebert, who is no stranger to this course has won the Donald Steel Trophy three times.

Former Test cricketer and selector Sidat Wettimuny won it in 2000 after a tough battle with his son Sanjay Wettimuny. At 15 years, Sinupa Wijesinghe is the youngest to have won this trophy.

The prestigious Pam Fernando Trophy, named after one of the greatest lady golfers produced by this country, has been dominated by that versatile golfer Suwen Selvaratnam. She was the first winner since it was offered in 2000. She has won it five times and Niloo Jayatillake has won it twice.

Pauline Morley has won the Victoria Bowl twice while the others have won once. The Ebert Pot too has been won only once.

The awards ceremony will be held at the club house on the same day commencing at 8.00 p.m. and the occasion will be graced by the Chairman of Victoria Holdings, Chris Holloway, Director, Christie Thornton, Consultant, Tony Witham and General Manager Errol Johnston and many others.

DONALD STEEL TROPHY: 1999 - Chamath Kulasinghe, 2000 - David Griffiths, 2001 - Martin Ebert, 2002 Alain Gyi, 2003 Martin Ebert, 2004 Martin Ebert, 2005 - Binupa Wijesinghe, 2006 - Romesh Abhayaratne, 2007 - Sujeewa Lankatillake, 20008 - Sidath Wettimuni, 2009 - Ian Tait.

EBERT POT: 2000 - Ajith Nishantha, 2001 Helmut Suchy, 2002 - Malik Ahamedeen, 2003 - Rohan de Silva, 2004 - D. A. Perera, 2005 - Roshan Dias, 2006 - Ian Walder, 2007 - Andrew Udesh, 2008 - Charlie Worrel, 2009 - Suren Waas.

PAM FERNANDO TROPHY: - 2000 - Suwen Selvaratnam, 2001 - Anouk Chanmugam, 2002 - Filoo Jayatillake, 2003 - Jackie Dias, 2004 and 2005 - Suwen Selvaratnam, 2006 - Thuhashani Seneviratnam, 2007 - Suwen Selvaratnam, 2008 - Niloo Jayatillake, 2009 - Suwen Selvaratnam.