Vinod and Taniya impress to reign champs
All category winners of the Sri Lanka Junior Championships
Vinod Weerasinghe cruised to a 6 & 5 victory over Sathsara Dilshan to win the Rukmini Kodagoda Challenge Trophy and the Title of Sri Lanka Junior Boys Champion 2018. Vinod winner in 2016, Runner-up in 2017, clinched the Junior Champion Title for the second time, playing excellent Golf in the Final.
The Sri Lanka Junior Match-Play Golf Championship, sponsored by P&S Bakers for the fifth consecutive year, displayed beyond reasonable doubt the improvement and development of the standard of Golf among the juniors, progressing rapidly year on year.
The Girls Junior Final turned out to be an amazing exhibition of brilliant Golf produced by 14-year-old Kayla Perera and 15-year-old Taniya Minel Balasuriya who produced 2 Eagles on the 1st and 11th, Birdies on 3rd, 7th, 9th, 14th, 16th, bogey on the 10th, double bogey on 5th, whilst Kayla birdied the 1st, 11th and 14th and Eagled the 7th, dropping two bogeys and finishing 2 under par when she went down with pride to a Champion Taniya 4 & 2.
Chairperson of the junior Sub- Committee, Niloo Jayathilake said “Today, we witnessed some amazing Golf by juniors with the Girls Final taking center stage. The 1st Hole saw Kayla sink an amazing 20 Foot Putt for a Birdie with Taniya Minel responding with an Eagle to win the 1st Hole. The Final produced 3 Eagles with Kayla making an Eagle on the 7th whilst Taniya added the 11th hole Eagle to her 1st hole spectacle and a flurry of Eight Birdies between them.” SLGU Council Member Niloo also added that even the Members and Amateurs at the RCGC rarely produced this high standard of Golf in a Final as displayed by Kayla & Taniya.
Nirekh Tajwani continued his consistent performance to win the Silver Division defeating K. Danushan with consummate ease 5 & 4.
Shanal Binuksha, 10, a talented junior following his Father and Grand Fathers’ footsteps cruised to a 7 & 6 victory over M.S. Sanjay of Nuwara Eliya Golf Club to win the Bronze Division Age Category.
Kaya Daluwatte won the Copper Division for the age category 9+ & under for the second consecutive year defeating Thejas Rathis Kanth comfortably 3 & 2.
The excellent morning of Golf, enthusiasm and excitement among the next generation of junior golfers, was followed by a solemn prize giving laced with the generosity of the sponsors Perera & Sons Bakers. The Rukmini Kodagoda Challenge Trophy was given away by Mr. Gihan Perera CEO on behalf of the Sponsors Perera & Sons Bakers.The atmosphere was enthused by proud parents, Golf enthusiastic senior members, the committed Sri Lanka Golf Union officials and the host club, Royal Colombo Golf Club Captain, GM and other officials who ensured an excellent junior Match-Play Championship.
A solid cheer goes out to the SLGU Junior Sub- committee and the Sri Lanka Golf Union for a successful Junior Championship. Albeit the Sponsor Perera & Sons Bakers, in the golden memory of the Late Rukmini Kodagoda, a star Golfer, Tennis National Champion and above all an exemplary Sportswoman and Lady Golfer who was committed to develop golf from the junior level. The progress and growth of the standard of the junior golfers is a tribute to the commitment of the Sri Lanka Golf Union President’s vision of laying the foundation at junior level and the untiring efforts of the Junior Sub- Committee of the SLGU focused on promoting golf among children, students and juniors.
Final Results
- Sri Lanka Junior Golf Girls Championship Gold & Silver Division Combined
Champion: Taniya Minel Balasuriya beat Kayla Perera 4 & 2
- Sri Lanka Golf Junior Boys Championship Gold Division 2018
Champion: Vinod Weerasinghe beat Sathsara Dilshan 6 & 5
- Silver Division Boys Age Category 12-14+
Winner: Nirekh Tejwani beat K. Danushan 5 & 4
- Bronze Division Open Age Category 10-11+
Winner: N.W.G. Shanal Binushka beat M.S. Sanjay 7 & 5
- Copper Division Open Age Category 9+ and Under
Winner: Kaya Daluwatte beat Thejas Rathis Kanth 3 & 2