Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Friday, 8 March 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Inaugural Hambantota Regional Junior Open Golf Championship was successfully concluded over the weekend at the picturesque Shangri La Golf Resort & Spa, Hambantota.
Prima Sunrise Bread, the Principal Regional Junior Open Golf sponsor, facilitated the Regional Open in the south in collaboration with the hospitality sponsor and partner Shangri La Golf Resort & Spa, Hambantota.
The Sri Lanka Golf Junior Sub Committee added the Southern Regional Junior Open Golf Championship to the Colombo Regional Junior Open, Central Province Regional Junior Championship at Victoria Golf & Country Resort and the Regional Junior event in Nuwara Eliya Golf Club.
The standard of golf dished out at the Shangri La Hambantota Golf Course was simply outstanding. An overall participation of 58 juniors from the RCGC, NEGC, VGCR, Anuradhapura Golf Club, Kilinochchi Academy and players from the home course in Hambantota completed the competitive field.
In the Gold Division for Boys in the Age Category 15 – 18+, S. Dhuwarshan held onto win by one stroke after a nail-biting battle with Haroon Aslam of VGCR, who played immaculate golf on the long Shangri La golf course, three over par 71 in the final round. However, Dhuwarshan returned two rounds of 73 each and went on to win the Gold Division for Boys.
Kayla Perera was in a league of her own, drawing 29 strokes clear of the 1st Runner-up Sherin Mithara, to capture the trophy in the Girls Gold & Silver Combined Division. Kayla followed up her 77 on day one, with an excellent 73 in the final round to seal a memorable victory.
The Silver Division for Boys in the Age Category 12 – 14+ produced another fantastic finish. Nirekh Tejwani held a three stroke lead over Yannik Kumara, after Round One. Nirekh played steady golf and maintained his lead over Yannik in the first half of the second round with Yannik scoring a seven on the eighth hole. However, in a stunning performance, Yannik shot a two under par back nine and snatched the Silver Division trophy from Nirekh by just one stroke.
Two brothers Reshan and Keshav Algama captured the Bronze Division (Age Category 10 – 11+) and the Copper Division (Age Category 9 + and under) a shade comfortably, by three strokes and four strokes respectively. Kaya Daluwatte played excellent golf bar one hole in the first half of the final round, but being a Girl among the Boys playing off the same tee boxes, fought gallantly to finish as the 2nd Runner-Up behind Reshan Algama.
Keshav Algama beat C. Dharaniyan from NEGC, shooting an excellent 39 in the nine holes of the final round, having been two strokes behind after day one.
The competitive two rounds of golf was followed by a simple but elegant prize giving conducted by Sri Lanka Golf Member and Junior Sub- Committee Chairperson Niloo Jayatilake. A special appreciation was made to Prima Ceylon Ltd Group General Manager and Chairman Tan Ben Chuan for all the efforts taken to play the Hambantota Regional Championship in collaboration with Shangri La Hambantota. Also a special thank you to Shangri La Golf Resorts & Spa General Manager Moshi Perera for the generosity extended as the hospitality partner.
Chief Guest Tan Ben Chuan spoke a few words extending their support to develop junior golf in Sri Lanka: “The platform of competition created with such regional tournaments will soon pay dividend by creating champions.” Moshi Perera also gave away some of the major prizes and commended the Golf Union for reaching out to juniors in Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi and Hambantota through the junior golf development program. The Best Rookie Player of the Championship from Anuradhapura was H. P. Alokshana Weerasinghe, who received a special prize, whilst Sivamohan Sivakunalan was adjudged the Best Rookie Player from Kilinochchi. Thiruska Rashinda Shamal representing the home course Shandri La Hambantota was the Best Rookie from Hambantota.
As an initiative to encourage junior golfers who took to golf recently, a special competition of approach shots from 30 yards and 50 yards was conducted, followed by a putting contest. P. U. Kavinda and S.M. Ashan won the prize of a driver each gifted by the Sri Lanka Golf Union.
Speaking as the Tournament Director, Dian Abeywardene motivated the youth to continue playing golf with keen interest and to follow the footsteps of K. Nandasena Perera (Beijing Asian Games 1990 Silver Medal Winner) and R.A. Anura Rohana (Seoul Asian Games 2002, Silver Medal) who still continues to make Sri Lanka proud by becoming a multiple winner in the Professional Golf Tour of India and the Asian Professional Golf Tour. He commended the juniors from Anuradhapura and Kilinochchi especially for their keen participation and also wished that they make every effort to become a champion in the future and win the Asian Gold Medal and Olympics Medals for Sri Lanka in golf. Shangri La Hambantota also received a challenge to encourage juniors in the southern region and produce international-class champion golfers from the exceptional golf facility in Hambantota.
Prima Sunrise Bread presented the customary gift-packs to all participants, and all enjoyed the hospitality of Shangri La Hamb-antota, registering a remarkable inaugural Hamba-ntota Regional Junior Open Golf Champi-onship 2019.
