SL Junior Match Play Golf Championships from 18-21 April

Monday, 4 April 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

PnS-golf

Handing over of the sponsorship cheque to officials of the Sri Lanka Golf Union. From left: Hasshan Priyadharshana from P & S, Ruvini Kariyawasan Business Development Manager- Perera and Sons , Gihan Perera- CEO/Managing Director, Perera and Sons, Nimal Piyaratne – President Sri Lanka Golf Union, Niloo Jayatilake – Chairperson Junior Subcommittee Sri Lanka Golf Union and Ken De Alwis – Secretary Sri Lanka Golf Union.

The Sri Lanka Junior Match Play Golf Championship for the Rukmini Kodagoda Trophy is once again set to be held at the Royal Colombo Golf Club from 18-21 April.

Inaugurated in 2014, this annual tournament will be sponsored by Perera & Sons Bakers Ltd., the family company of the late Rukmini Kodagoda, for the third consecutive year. The prestigious tournament is extremely popular given its match play format. The winner of its overall championship will be awarded the Rukmini Kodagoda Challenge Trophy while the qualifying medal round of the championship will be a designated round for the 2016 national junior rankings.

“We are likely to see new talent blossom among the juniors who show aptitude for the match play format,” commented Perera and Sons Bakers Ltd. CEO/Managing Director Gihan Perera.

The Sri Lanka Gold Union is focused on developing a young pool of golfers below the age of 14, which is the reason the pool is segmented into a Bronze and Copper division.

The tournament will be played over four days and will comprise four age groups; 15-17 years (Overall/Gold Division), 12-14 years (Silver Division), 10-11 years (Bronze Division) and 9 years and under (Copper Division).

The manner of play will be based on a qualifying stroke play round whereby the best eight qualify to play on a match play knockout basis. There will be many prizes on offer for the best gross score in the qualifying round and the plate winner for non-qualifiers on Day Two’s best gross score.

Last year’s divisional winners were: Gold Division – Prashan Peiris, Silver Division – Taniya Balasuriya, Bronze Division – Levon Niyarepola and Copper Division – Yanik Kumara. This year we are likely to see stiff competition from Armand Flamer Caldera, D. Dhanranjan, S. Flamin, Januka Dilshan, Tien Kapilasena, Nirekh Tejwani and Sathsara Dilshan in their respective age groups.

Perera further stated: “P&S is committed to helping develop the game of golf and tennis, especially to give an opportunity to the juniors from the outstations and we believe that there is a lot of hidden talent out of Colombo which needs to be unearthed through events such as these.”

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 most talented sportswomen, having won national titles and represented Sri Lanka in both tennis and golf. She also held the prestigious position of Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ladies Golf Union in 1990 and 1991 and Captain of the Ladies’ Section of the Royal Colombo Golf Club.