Varun Fernando topples top seed Dharaniyan in Copper Division to enter final

The Sri Lanka Junior Golf Match-Play Championship 2019 reached the Finals stage with four top seeds in the Gold

Kaya Daluwatte

Playing: Varun Fernando.Also pictured (right): C.Dharaniyan

Boys, Gold & Silver Combined Girls, Silver Boys and Bronze divisions entering the finals apart from C. Dharaniyan, the top seed in the Copper division, who was beaten by Varun Fernando 4 & 3. Varun’s comprehensive victory was no fluke when in the quarter final the fifth seed edged out Thejas Rathis Kanth (4th Seed) in a closely fought match.

Varun meets Ayaan Gunasekera, the # 2 seed, who has comfortably entered the final of the Copper Division. The 9 Hole Final for the age group 9+ & under juniors promises to be a super battle for the Rukmani Kodagoda Trophy Copper Division Championship.

Haroon Aslam cruised through to the final of the Gold Division and Junior Champion Title, with an emphatic 8 & 7 victory over Dilshan Malinda and now meets S. Dhuwarshan from NEGC who was given a good game by P.A. Dimuthu of Victoria Golf Club who went down fighting 2 down on the 18th hole.

In the Gold & Silver combined Girls division sisters Taniya & Sherine, miniature versions of the Williams sisters Serena & Venus, created history to become the first sisters in Sri Lanka to enter a final in Golf. 

Taniya Minel, the more accomplished player is expected to win, but if she doesn’t take her younger sister seriously, anything can happen in golf.

Nirekh Tejwani seemed unstoppable in the Silver Division for Boys when he beat Chethana Perera 8 & 7 to meet K. Danushan in the final. Danushan overcame the challenge of big-hitting Levon Niyarepola 2 & 1. 

The final will be repeat of 2018 and Danushan may find it tough to change last years’ result, with Nirekh playing even better golf this year.

Kaya Daluwatte stamped her authority as the ‘rose’ among the ‘thorns’ when she defeated Kvahn Tejwani (4th Seed) emphatically by a 4 & 2 margin to reach the Bronze Division Final played over 14 holes. In the second semi-final Reshan Algama beat Shanal Binuksha in a hum-dinger of a match by the narrowest margin 1 up. Reshan proved his mettle to handle the pressure very well to overcome Shanal to enter the final and meet top seeded Kaya Daluwatte. The final of the Bronze division is a serious matter, with Reshan having to defend the boys and Kaya trying to establish the superiority of Venus over Mars.

All-in-all, the P & S Bakers sponsored 2019 Sri Lanka Junior Golf Match-Play Championship enters the final stage, which promises five fantastic finals for five Junior Champions to emerge in the five different age group categories.

Sri Lanka Junior Golf Match-Play Championship 2019 – sponsored By P&S Bakers results after semi-finals

Gold Division Boys

Haroon Aslam bt Dilshan Malinda 8 & 7 

S. Dhuwarshan bt P.A. Dimuthu 2 up

Gold & Silver Division Combined Girls

Taniya Minel Balasuriya bt Anelka Desinghe 8 & 7

Sherine Mithara Balasuriya bt Arika Wickramasinghe 4 & 3

Silver Division Boys

Nirekh Tejwani bt Chethana Perera 8 & 7

K. Danushan bt Levon Niyarepola 2 & 1

Bronze Division Combined Boys & Girls

Kaya Daluwatte bt Kvahn Tejwani 4 & 2

Reshan Algama bt Shanal Binuksha 1 up

Copper Division Combined Boys & Girls

Varun Fernando bt C. Dharaniyan 4 & 3

Ayaan Gunasekera bt Kaiyan Johnpillai 4 & 2