Golf: A galaxy of stars to compete at RCGC Open 2016

The much anticipated Sri Lanka Open Golf tournament will tee off on 18 to 22 July at the Ridgeways - the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC). 

This year down on the cards are some top Asian and Indian professionals along with several talented Sri Lankan golfers. 

The shot in the arm for this tournament, had been given by the JAT Holdings, who has come up with a cheque of Rupees Two Million. 

Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU), in an endeavor to professionalise Sri Lanka Golf have embarked on a journey, to establish Sri Lanka as an alternate Professional Golf Circuit in the South East Asian region attracting more Sri Lankans to turn professional and join the circuit. 

The Sri Lanka Open was first played in year 1970. 

The main aim was to motivate the non-members of the Golf Club to take up the sport in a professional capacity. 

This resulted in K. Nandasena Perera representing Sri Lanka and winning several titles within the Asian region and a Silver Medal at the Beijing Asian Games in 1990. 

Then a decade later Anura Rohana achieved the same feat by winning at Seoul Asian Games in 2002.

Both of them have won the Sri Lanka Open a record seven times each. 

Anura Rohana, is presently ranked 4th in the Indian Professional Golf Tournament. 

By the way Nandasena has passed on the mantle of genius to his son, Mithun Perera, who at present is participating in the Chinese Taipei Open Championship and is scheduled to play in this tournament too. 

A minimum of six Indian Professionals who played in the Sri Lanka Open of 2014 and 2015, seem certain to play as well and overall the JAT Sri Lanka Open is poised to have an interesting field and Championship has never being this 'open' and hard to call on the winner. 

Among the local professional stalwarts competing will be K. Prabhagaran, the National Champ, winner of the Sri Lanka Open twice 2013 and 2014, and N. Thangarajah who won the Sri Lanka Open in 2015. 

The other competitors who will give a stiff challenge are B.G.Lalith Kumara, Vijitha Bandara and Jehan De Saram, who will fight it out to come on top to win the 2016 Championship. 

In the Amateur and youngster category Kushal Johnpillai, Husni Uvaiz, Alain Gyi, Prashan Peiris, Sachin De Silva, Amrith de Soysa, Avinesh Nareshkumar and Rusi Captain could also contribute to the competition. 

The title sponsorship agreement was signed by Priyath Fernando, President of Sri Lanka Golf Union and Aelien Gunawardena,the Managing Director of JAT Holdings.