Tania Minel tees off in grand style in India and Pakistan
Taniya receiving her award in India
Following the footsteps of overseas success achieved by Tiru Fernando and Thuhashini Selvaratnam many National Titles in India, Pakistan, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, whilst Neesha Nirmalalingam and Niloo Fernando in the All India Ladies Amateur Golf championship and Pakistan Ladies Amateur Golf Championship respectively.
Now a young star has arrived to carry the Sri Lankan Ladies and Junior Golf Flag, in the form of Taniya Minel Balasuriya, a 15-yearold, with bags of talent, determination and hunger to perform and win.
Whilst Tiru Fernando converted her many triumphs in Ladies Amateur Golf to turn professional and play in the European LPG Tour (Ladies Professional Golf), Thuhashini remained an Amateur and enjoyed great success as an Amateur in the Ladies Amateur Arizona State Championships.
Turning back the pages of time Tiru Fernando (now Jesudasan) the First and only Sri Lankan Lady to play on the Ladies Professional Golf Tour, including the LPG European Tour recorded a best, top 5 finish in the British LPG Tour in the 1980’s and is the role model for young Taniya to follow with her focus on playing the Ladies Professional Golf Tour on the biggest stage, like the European Tour and the USPGA someday.
It may be too soon to imagine such an idealisation but as the performance so far goes, Taniya took to the game of Golf barely three years ago at the age of 12 and in a relatively brief period has developed in to a formidable golfer just about missing out winning the All India Junior Girls Championship 2017, Class A and B in the Age Category 13 -17+, just concluded at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club Course.
Taniya Minel took to the game of Golf at 12 years, the memories of Thuhashini Selvaratnam, come to mind as Thuhashini wrote her name in the Guinness Book of Records being the youngest to win a National Title at 12 years and 167 days.
Taniya Minel has won the Regional Junior Open Title, the P & S Match Play Championship for Junior Girls and many other local junior titles, beating Boys as well in some events.
Sri Lankan sportswomen have done Sri Lanka proud in the past including in Golf as well and now, Taniya is the new kid on the block ready to go further than the other Ladies in Golf, who shone for Sri Lanka, long before her.
The performance at the All India Junior Girls Championship 2017 cannot be taken lightly, since the All India Championship, represents the best of the juniors from all the States in India vying to become the Junior Girls Champion.
Taniya Minel at 15 years won her Age Category ‘Class A Girls’ 15 – 17+, being one of the youngest in the Category, by 2 strokes. However, Taniya Minel having led the Overall category by One Stroke from Anika Varma playing the 14th Hole of the final Round, Taniya’s bogey on the 14th tied with Anika for the overall Girls prize. Then, the most unfortunate ill-luck happened when Taniya’s Tee shot on the 15th got stuck neatly at the root of a small tree just off the fairway. She attempted to hit the shot left handed to get out of trouble, missed the shot and eventually made a triple bogey, Anika’s Par and a 3 stroke swing gave Anika the lead at the crucial time.
Taniya Minel with her award
Anika at 13 years representing Class B age category of 13 – 14+, is an experienced golfer having had vast exposure playing Junior Golf at Regional level in India as well as in the World Junior Championship in Scotland at the Headquarters of Golf R & A St Andrews, since she was 10 years old. Anika displayed a cool temperament even though Taniya fought back and held on to win the Junior Girls Overall Prize in a thrilling finish. Taniya though older than Anika has less Golf experience on her clock and the future does augur well for Taniya Minel and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Golf is ready to reach greater heights following in the footsteps of the two Silver Medalists in 1990 Beijing, and 2002 Seoul, Nandasena Perera and Anura Rohana respectively. Anura Rohana is not done yet, currently ranked 10th in the 2017 PGTI and Mithun Ranked 25th, Thangaraja and Prabagaran complete the Sri Lanka Golf Professionals in the PGTI Ranking as Ambassadors of Sri Lanka playing Professional Golf in the Asian region.
So, with the Men doing proud for Sri Lanka, Taniya Minel Balasuriya takes her first step in bringing glory to Sri Lanka internationally in Ladies and Junior Golf, walking in the giant steps of Tiru Fernando the little Sri Lankan who shocked the Ladies PGA Tour, leading the British Open briefly, as the Role Model of Taniya Minel Balasuriya.
The Sri Lanka Junior Golf Championship 2017, sponsored by Prima Sunrise Bread is the final major Sri Lanka Junior event in 2017 and gets underway at the RCGC from the 13th – 15th December. Soon after the Junior Championship Taniya Minel Balasuriya takes wing to Indonesia to participate in the Indonesia Junior golf Championship 2017, commencing 17th December 2017.