Yatawara Claims Medalist Honors At 2019 South Asian Games

KATHMANDU, Nepal – East Carolina senior Grace Yatawara carded an eight-over par 296 and walked away with the individual title at the 2019 South Asian Games winning the gold medal by 21 strokes. The four-day event was being held at the par 72, 5,977-yard Gokarna Resort.

The 2019 South Asian Games is a biennial multi-sport event where athletes from six counties came together to compete. Other counties included Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan.

The Salisbury, N.C. native, who represented her father's home county of Sri Lanka, helped her seven-member team to the team title winning by 32 strokes over second place Bangladesh and third place team Nepal. Yatawara opened the event posting a course record 69 and followed that with scores of 76, 74 and 77.

Yatawara and the Pirates will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 when they participate in the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Fla.

Grace Yatawara Quotes:

What was the experience like for you?
"This was an experience like no other. I got to visit a new country, play a very challenging golf course like none I had ever played before, and meet so many people from all different countries"

How special was it to represent your father's home country of Sri Lanka?
"It was such a special experience to have had the opportunity to internationally represent a country that is like a second home to me. I know it meant so much to my dad to see me on the podium holding the Sri Lanka flag with the Sri Lanka national anthem playing in the background. Although this was an amazing time, it was a little bittersweet knowing that my grandfather, who passed away a few years ago, wasn't able to see it. In Sri Lanka, he was a stellar athlete and he always told my sister and I growing up that the only way to get better at our sport was to 'practice, practice, practice'. I am just so grateful that I could make Sri Lanka proud this week."

What did this week mean to you and your golf game?
"Not only was this obviously a huge confidence boost going into the spring season, it also gave me the experience of a lifetime, playing on such a huge stage. I also learned how to handle the pressure of being in the lead for the entire golf tournament, which isn't always an easy spot to be in for me."

Yatawara Claims Medalist Honors At 2019 South Asian Games

Players Mentioned

Grace Yatawara

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