Junior Open Golf tees of tomorrow
View(s):Local golf stars of future will rise and shine at this year’s Sri Lanka Junior Open Golf Championship which will tee off at the Royal Colombo Golf Club in Colombo tomorrow morning.
This three-day championship, the stepping stone for professional golfers of tomorrow, will be sponsored by Prima Sunrise Bread for the sixth consecutive year, from December 16 to 18. Over 70 top junior golfers are expected to vie for honours at the most prestigious competition for youngsters of Sri Lanka, indicating the growing popularity of the sport.
(From left) Sajith Gunaratne (Senior Business and Marketing Manager of Prima Group), Shun Tien Shing (General Manager of Prima Group) and Tan Beng Chuan (Group General Manager of Prima Group) hand over the sponsorship package to SLGU officials Priath Fernando (centre) and Michael Magala (right)
The tournament is open to both boys and girls under the age of 18 years and it has assumed a measure of importance being served as a platform for the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) to identify potential talent to play at the national level.
The competition will be conducted for the Gold Division for youngsters of the age category of 15 to 17 years, for the Silver Division for the age groups of 11 to 14 years and for the Bronze Division for youngsters below the age category of 10 years. The overall winner of the competition will be declared as the Sri Lanka Junior National Golf Champion for the year 2013.
Among those who are expected to run as forerunners of this year’s tournament are Lamidu Rainika, Ishira Fernando, Shemani Jagoda, Sachin de Silva, Zaffar Sikander, Prashan Peiris, Mahisha Hirushan and Tienn Kapilasena.
Earlier this year the main sponsor of the tournament, Prima Sunrise supported the SLGU by sponsoring the first ever Regional Junior Open at Sri Lanka’s internationally designed Victoria Golf and Country Resort in Kandy and followed it up with taking the main sponsorship for the regional Junior Open held at the Eagles Golf Links in Trincomalee. The success from this year will prompt sponsors Prima Sunrise to once again sponsor the Regional Junior Opens scheduled to be played in Nuwara Eliya and Kandy in 2014.
Among past winners of the Sri Lanka Junior National Championship are Anura Rohana, Mithun Perera, Lalith Kumara and Tissa Chandradasa, who have reached the professional status. In addition golfers such as Binupa Wijesinghe, Alain Gyi, Ranil Peiris and Rusi Captain have all gone on to become Sri Lanka’s top golfers. Sachin de Silva, Sri Lanka’s 17-year-old golf prodigy is the defending champion of this tournament. Prima Sunrise will provide nutrition for all players during the tournament.
- NA