Faldo Junior Series powered by DFCC Bank for 2nd year in tandem

From left: Thimal Perera, Pravan Muralidaran, Gehan Siribaddana, and Michael Sathasivam 

By Shamseer Jaleel

The Faldo Junior Series Sri Lanka powered by DFCC Bank returns for the second consecutive year, reinforcing its position as the country’s premier junior golf championship and a vital pathway for emerging talent from 6 till 8 January at the Royal Colombo Golf Club.

With over 132 young golfers in action, the tournament once again brings together skill, ambition, and opportunity under the globally respected Faldo Series, founded by six-time Major champion Sir Nick Faldo.

The championship is structured to provide fair and competitive exposure across clearly defined age categories. Faldo Juniors features two divisions 13 to 16 years and 17 to 21 years, with separate competitions for boys and girls. Meanwhile, Faldo Futures caters to the next generation with three age groups: 7 to 8 years, 9 to 10 years, and 11 to 12 years, again contested separately for boys and girls. The Senior segment defending champions are Kaya Daluwatte (Girls) and Jevahn Sathasivam (Boys).

Adding further prestige, winners of the Faldo Juniors categories earn a coveted berth at the Faldo Junior Tour Asia Grand Final, scheduled to be played at the iconic Laguna Lang Course. This opportunity offers Sri Lanka’s brightest prospects direct exposure to elite regional competition and international benchmarking.

The Sri Lanka leg of the Faldo Junior Tour is part of the prestigious global Faldo Series, recognised for producing world-class professionals and nurturing junior excellence. This event provides young golfers with a rare international platform while instilling competitive discipline and sportsmanship at an early stage.

From left: Rizwan Jowhersha, T. Deshan, Mahela Jayawardene, and Rajeev Pandithage

The tournament is organised by the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC), Sri Lanka’s most historic and prestigious golf institution. RCGC’s continued initiative to bring the Faldo Series to Sri Lanka has played a pivotal role in elevating junior golf standards and positioning the country on the regional golfing map. Supporting the championship for the second year running, DFCC Bank continues as the title sponsor, reaffirming its commitment to youth development and national sporting excellence for the second year in tandem.

DFCC Bank CEO Thimal Perera said, “DFCC Bank has always walked alongside Sri Lanka’s progress whether from industry to innovation, or from homes to entrepreneurs. Through the Faldo Junior Golf Tournament, we are proud to invest in young golfers who have the potential to carry their success onto global fairways. This is more than sport, it is discipline, confidence, and opportunity taking root in each player’s journey. We feel privileged to uplift their aspirations and to stand with them as they take their next swing towards the future.”

This year, the series is further enhanced through its technology partnership with N-able, a leading digital transformation and technology solutions provider. N-able powers the live scoring platform, delivering real-time updates that enhance transparency for officials and create a more engaging, immersive experience for spectators and followers. 

N able CEO Shirantha Herath said, “We believe technology has the power to elevate every experience, including sport. Partnering with Faldo Series, Sri Lanka, aligns perfectly with our vision innovation to enhance performance, transparency and engagement. Through live scoring and digital solutions, we are proud to support players, officials and fans by brining real time insights that enrich the tournament experience.

With DFCC Bank and N-able working in tandem, the Faldo Junior Series Sri Lanka stands as a benchmark event in junior golf blending tradition, innovation, and opportunity to shape the future of Sri Lankan golf.