Rukmini Kodagoda Trophy to tee off

Inaugurated in 2014, the Rukmini Kodagoda annual golf tournament is scheduled to be held at the Royal Colombo Golf Club from 18 to 21 April and is once again sponsored by Perera & Sons Bakers Ltd., the family company of the late Rukmini Kodagoda, for the fourth consecutive year.

The winner of the overall championship would carry away the Rukmini Kodagoda Challenge trophy. “This year for the first time we will see the junior girls segment being carved out into a separate division. This would take the tournament to new heights,” said Managing Director of P&S Gihan Perera. The qualifying medal round of the championship would be a designated round to accrue points for national junior ranking for the year 2017. Thus, the Rukmini Kodagoda Trophy sponsored by P&S is fast becoming one of the prestigious tournaments in the yearly junior calendar, given the exciting format.

The tournament will be played over four days and will comprise of four age groups as follows: 15-18 years (Overall/Gold Division), 12-14 years (Silver Division), 10 -11years (Bronze Division), 9 years and under (Copper Division).

The manner of play would be based on a qualifying stroke play round whereby the best eight qualify to play knockout matches at quarters, semi and final stages. We are likely to see new talent blossom among the juniors who show aptitude.

The junior match play championship is a fitting tribute to Rukmini Kodagoda, who won the Sri Lanka Amateur Championship in 1979 and several other club tournaments. Ruki as she was popularly known established herself as one of Sri Lanka’s talented sports women having won national titles and represented Sri Lanka in both tennis and golf.

She also held the prestigious position of Chairman Sri Lanka Ladies Golf Union in 1990 and 1991 and Captain of the Ladies Section of the Royal Colombo Golf Club.“This tournament has helped to raise the standard of junior golf and enabled these youngsters to achieve a way of mental toughness required for the format of match play. It is likely see the development of future Champions in the sport,” said Sri Lanka Golf Union Chairperson Junior Sub Committee Niloo Jayatilake.

In the boys’ category, we are likely to see Vinod Weerasinghe, Armand Flamer Caldera, P.A. Dimuthu from Kandy, S. Duwarshan from Nuwara Eliya, Yannik Kumara, brothers Nirekhand KvahnTejwaniand K. Danushan compete for top honours in the respective age group categories. Among the junior girls much is expected from Taniya Balasuriya and Kayla Perera. The prize giving will be held at noon on 21 April.