Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Friday, 27 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
UTE Chairman Priath Fernando hands over the sponsorship agreement to B.G. Lalith Kumara who will compete at the Indian professional Golf Tour 2015
Lalith Kumara is a quality golfer showing tremendous promise, displayed through excellent performances throughout the years. During a special ceremony held recently, UTE signed up the promising golfer as a Brand Ambassador.
“As a sport, golfers do not need to be bigger to be better,” quipped UTE Chairman Priath Fernando. ITE is the sole distributor for Caterpillar construction machines, power generators and lift trucks.
“Quality can come in small packages. In this respect, UTE has chosen Lalith Kumara to be their Brand Ambassador because they only deal with the best quality products and provide the best quality service. UTE has chosen to support him because he represents the same values.”
Born on 16 July 1978, Bendaluwa Gamaladdalage Lalith Kumara took to golf like a duck to water. He was a keen sportsman from early days.
His father B.G. Wickramasuriya worked as a railway labourer and mother P. Lalitha, a housewife.
Living around the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC), Lalith Kumara showed promise for the sport, winning the Sri Lanka Junior Championships under 12 year category. Subsequently, he was crowned the Junior Champion twice.
As a fully-fledged amateur golfer in 2000 he won the coveted All India Championship and gained a creditable Runner-Up position in Pakistan.
In 2003, he showed further potential and was adjudged Runner-Up in the Sri Lanka Amateur Championships.
2004 was Kumara’s golden year. He was crowned King of South Asian Amateur Golf, and held three international titles simultaneously – Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. A feat no other amateur golfer has achieved.
The allure of big money in professional golf prompted him to join the Indian Pro Circuit in 2006. Despite a promising start, family commitments took precedence.
From 2009, RCGC employed him as a teaching professional. He also assisted the Sri Lanka Golf Union, the sole recognised controlling body for golf in Sri Lanka, in their junior golf development program.
Currently, with Lalith Kumara, six professional golfers have qualified to play on the Indian circuit.
Fernando, himself a keen golfer coming from a family of Sri Lankan golfing legends, has over the years been personally supporting Lalith Kumara, encouraging him to return to the professional circuit.
Working towards the development of the game and through his involvement in the Sri Lanka Golf Union, Fernando remains convinced, that “like cricket, Sri Lanka can produce world class golfers too”.
Sri Lanka has also produced two Silver Medalists in the Asian Games at a time when there were no more than 300 active golfers in the country.
Whilst Caterpillar is a well-established international brand worldwide, UTE has built its stellar reputation in providing after-sales services and engineering solutions.
“We have one of the most modern training facilities and even send our own trained and qualified technicians abroad to assist clients in operating and maintaining Caterpillar equipment,” said a proud Chairman with over 40 years’ experience in this business.
UTE together with Caterpillar will be embarking on a new journey promoting a range of smaller and superior products offering the right mix of quality and value.
