13th Sri Lanka Junior Open Golf nurtured by Prima Sunrise Breads
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From left: Sudath Getawakanda (Treasurer, Sri Lanka Golf Union), Lal Wickramatunga (Secretary, Sri Lanka Golf Union), Niloo Jayatilake (Chairperson Junior Development, Sri Lanka Golf Union), Lawrence Chan (Group General Manager, Prima Group Sri Lanka), Shun Tien Shing (General Manager, Ceylon Agro Industries – Prima Group Sri Lanka) and Sajith Gunaratne (Deputy General Manager, Ceylon Agro Industries – Prima Group Sri Lanka) at the presentation of the sponsorship
For the 13th year, Prima Sunrise Bread has committed to sponsor the most prestigious event in the junior golf calendar, the Sri Lanka Junior Open Golf Tournament. With more than a decade of magnanimous sponsorship this generous support by Prima Group Sri Lanka, is ample testimony to its continued commitment to promoting junior golf in the country in partnership with the national body for golf in the country the Sri Lanka Golf Union.
Resuming after a lapse of one year, due to the inability to host the event during the pandemic, the Sri Lanka Junior Open Golf Championship is scheduled to be played between December 15 to 17 at the Royal Colombo Golf Club. It remains the decisive test for juniors who are also required to make it through the gruelling Regional Junior Opens also sponsored by Prima Group Sri Lanka, as well as a number of club level tournaments throughout the year. The Sri Lanka Junior Open is thus the established benchmark for national rankings of junior golf. The winner of the Sri Lanka Junior Open will be crowned the National Junior Champion in both boys’ and girls’ categories.
“The committed sponsorship of junior golf by Prima Group Sri Lanka and Prima Sunrise Bread has been invaluable to the Sri Lanka Golf Union in promoting the sport island wide. The popularity of the sport is seen to be growing mainly due to the focused outreach programs carried out by Sri Lanka golf to propagate the sport at the grassroots. This initiative was the brainchild of the Junior Sub Committee of Sri Lanka Golf to identify the nations young golf talent with a view to nurturing and developing them for future national and international representation. This year we have slowly started the rollout of junior training starting from Anuradhapura golf academy,” Niloo Jayatilake, the Chairperson of Junior Development of Sri Lanka Golf Union, stated.
“As the long standing partner in supporting junior golf in Sri Lanka, we are pleased to sponsor the Junior Open Golf tournament once again this year. As the most important tournament for young and upcoming golfers in the country, we look forward to some high standard golf this year as well. We are grateful to the Sri Lanka Golf Union for hosting the tournament once again, and continuing to enrich the sport of golf,” stated Lawrence Chan, the Group General Manager of Prima Group Sri Lanka.
This event will once again be conducted according to four age group categories as follows; 15-18 years (Gold Division), 12-14 years (Silver Division), 10 -11 years (Bronze Division) and 9 years and under (Copper Division). A quartet of young golfing talent likes of Haroon Aslam, Nirekh Tejwani, Yannik Kumara, Reshan Algama from the boys’ division and sisters Taniya and Sherin Balasuriya, Devinka Kanag-Isvaran, Kaya Daluwatta and Kayla Perera are to compete in the girls’ division. In addition the organisers are hopeful to attract foreign entries for this year’s competition with the country opening up, and they are expected to provide stiff competition to our Sri Lankan field of juniors.
In other junior categories K. Danushan, Shanal Binuksha, Keshav Algama, Thejas Kanth and Kavahn Tejwani, are recognised as the emerging talent and this event should provide them a golden opportunity to showcase their skills and it is hoped the youngsters play to their fullest potential.
Prima Sunrise Bread, the title sponsor of this tournament, will as always provide nutrition for the players during the event. The Prize giving is scheduled for December 17 at 3.30pm.