Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Wednesday, 31 December 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Sri Lanka Open first played in 1970 organised by the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) the governing body of Golf in Sri Lanka introduced this event to facilitate the Golfers with talent mainly from the caddy and ball-boy ranks to play at the highest level.
The first winner H.L. Premadasa, a caddy, was rewarded with a brand new Dunlop golf set and cash and he was appointed as the Professional at the Royal Colombo Golf Club. Ever since then the Sri Lanka Open has unearthed immense talent and the brilliant Nandasena Perera has won the Open seven times and Aruna Rohana currently ranked No. 3 on the Indian Pro Golf Tour is chasing the record. In the background of the fast-progressing Sri Lankan professional golfers, the SLGU is stepping up a gear to pitch the ‘Open’ at a level which will attract Professionals playing on other circuits to participate and thereby raise the benchmark of Professional Golf in Sri Lanka.
Solar Therm established in 1982, powering the nation with solar power, signed an agreement with the Sri Lanka Golf Union amidst a small gathering and handed over the title sponsorship cheque of Rs. 1,500,000, an unprecedented sponsorship to promote a relevant sport which boasts of tremendous potential to fly the Sri Lankan Flag sky high.
SLGU President Lal Dias thanked Solar Therm for partnering the SLGU in this effort to conduct a truly professional open tournament offering prize money in excess of Rs. 2 million. The President went on to confirm that he was happy that Solar Therm came forward to partner golf as he was a very satisfied and proud customer of Solar Therm and that he endorses the product as well.
Solar Therm Chairman Lakshman Jayasuriya in his reply expressed his delight in being the Title Sponsor and confirmed that he thought it was time to come forward to a sport in which many Solar Therm customers are involved.
SLGU Vice President and Honorary Secretary Priath Fernando thanked the Tournament Director and the Title Sponsor for the step in the right direction in attracting the top Professionals in the Indian Tour to participate. He confirmed that the four top Professionals in Sri Lanka – Mithun, Anura Rohana, Prabagaran and Thangaraja – will play and Zen Dharmaratne playing on the Malaysian Pro Tour will form the local challenge and others from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are expected.
Solar Therm Director Kushan Jayasuriya said that the company being around for 32 years had an excellent product which is enjoyed by some of the members of the Royal Colombo Golf Club and the Title Sponsorship of Golf would enhance the relationship with their invaluable customers and potential clients would have an opportunity to get to know the value of solar power. The longstanding supporters of Sri Lanka Golf, UTE-CAT and CML MTD are also Affiliate Sponsors of the ‘Solar Therm Sri Lanka Open’ and in addition to boosting the Open prize money they will also sponsor special events conducted parallel to the main event. SLGU Assistant Hony. Secretary Suren Waas, the administrative staff of the SLGU, GOLF Lk, the publisher of the SLGU news, and the staff of Solar Therm were in attendance at the signing of the Title Sponsorship agreement on Monday 29 December.
