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The Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) has developed a long term strategy and is now more focused on promoting junior golf in the country. One initiative is to allocate national ranking for the junior golfers now growing in numbers. Expert financial planner NDB Wealth has readily extended its support to Golf Sri Lanka Juniors under the SLGU’s initiative with the sponsorship of National Junior Golf Rankings for the calendar year 2016. With the aim of encouraging more young golfing talent to emerge Sri Lanka Golf Union developed a comprehensive ranking system based on eight stroke play rounds of golf played in designated tournaments during a calendar year. The junior golfers will be ranked according to the age categories ranging from ages below nine years (Copper Division), 10-11 Years (Bronze Division), 12-14 (Years) and 15-17 Years (Gold division).
Standing after round 1
The first designated tournament this year for national ranking points was held with the qualifying stroke play round of the Sri Lanka Junior Match Play Championship for the Rukmini Kodagoda Trophy being concluded in April 2016. In the Gold division Vinod Weerasinghe, winner of the Sri Lanka Junior Match Play Championship leads with 250 points and closely followed by Januka Dilshan and T. Akash both Colombo players with 225 points and 200 points respectively. Prashan Peiris on 175 and Victoria golf club player P. Sugumar on 150 points. In the Silver Division Tania Balasuriya leads with 250 points and Dilshan Malinda, Himal Randima 225 points each. Victoria Golf club player Haroon Aslam on 175 points and closely followed by S. Duwarshan of NuwaraEliya with 150 points.
In the junior categories Bronze Division age group 10-11 years Nirekh Tejwani leads with 250 points and close on his heels Yanik Kumara with 225 points. K. Danushan 200 points, Sherin Mithara 175 points and Damin Kotagama 150 points. We are likely to see stiff competition in the year ahead among these junior golfers as they jostle for places in the top ranks. Lastly in the Copper division the ranking after round one is as follows.
A minimum of five rounds will have to be carded including three mandatory rounds of the Sri Lanka Junior Open in order to be eligible for national rankings and which will also mark the final order of merit. The final national rankings for juniors will be awarded at the conclusion of the calendar year and NDB Wealth’s sponsorship will offer both equipment and training programs for top ranked junior golfers, enabling their talent to be nurtured further. Also the Sri Lanka juniors through this ranking system will be able to qualify to represent Sri Lanka in future junior events.
