Dialog Sri Lanka Golf Open 2023 to tee off on May 30
Navin Pieris (Group Chief Officer - Dialog Enterprise) handing over the sponsorship to Micheal Magala (President - Sri Lanka Golf) in the presence of (from left) Harsha Samaranayake (Vice President - Brand and Media, Group Marketing, Dialog Axiata) and Ranil Pieris (Vice President, Sri Lanka Golf)
Dialog Axiata PLC has come forth to power the Sri Lanka Golf Open 2023 which will tee off on May 30 at the picturesque Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC). The Sri Lanka Open, first played in 1972, is the feature golf championship introduced by Sri Lanka Golf as an Open event unearthing immense talent since its inception producing two Asian Games Silver medallists in 1990 and 2002.
Currently, five Sri Lankans participate in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and the current top-ranked Chouhan Om-Prakash along with past Sri Lanka Open winner Rashid Khan, now playing in the Asian Tour, will add value to the strong field led by R.A. Anura Rohana, a seven-time Open winner attempting to hold the record of highest number of wins on his own. Presently he shares the record with the late K. Nandasena Perera.
K. Prabagaran, a three-time champ and N. Thangarajah, another former champ, will be challenged by Udayan Mane, a prominent Asian Tour top golfer, Jamal Hossain, the leading Bangladesh professional in the PGTI, a top golfer from Pakistan. Many others from India, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates will decorate the Sri Lanka Open 2023. There are also single entries from Australia and a Sri Lankan born golfer residing in America.
Mithun Perera, a star performer ranked in the top 50, currently in the PGTI, is yet to win the Sri Lanka Open and is sure to make a bold bid this year. Vijitha Bandara, B.G. Lalith Kumara, Tissa Chandradasa experienced professionals at the RCGC and among the top Sri Lankan amateurs such as past Amateur National champion M.U. Chanaka Perera, Chalitha Pushpika and rising star Reshan Algama enrich the already strong field.
The Sri Lanka Open 2023 will be preceded by a high-profile Pro-Am Tournament sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott Colombo, graced by European Tour golfer, Shiv Kapoor, the golf ambassador of the Marriott Hotel chain worldwide. Shiv Kapoor will participate in the Pro-Am event and all other professionals participating in the Sri Lanka Open are also expected to play with the amateur member golfers of Royal Colombo Golf Club and other member clubs in Sri Lanka.
The Dialog Sri Lanka Open, played over four rounds from May 30 to June 2, has also attracted many other sponsors such as SriLankan Airlines, Courtyard by Marriott Colombo, Transcend Drive, OLU.