Under-par brilliance by Kaya sets pace

Friday, 9 January 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kaya Daluwatte

Sri Lanka’s junior golf program enjoyed an emphatic opening to the Faldo Series Sri Lanka 2026 at the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC), as young golfers across multiple age groups delivered composed, high-quality performances with the tournament been worked off at the green lush.

The opening round highlighted the depth of emerging talent and reinforced the growing stature of the Faldo pathway in the regional junior calendar.

The spotlight firmly belonged to Kaya Daluwatte in the Open Junior segment (Age 17–21), where she produced a superb gross 65, an outstanding under-par effort that set the early benchmark. Displaying maturity beyond her years, Kaya combined accuracy off the tee with assured putting, using her experience to build momentum and establish a clear lead after day one.

Close behind Kaya was a tightly packed chasing group, with Kumar Danushan, T. Deshan and Reshan Algama all returning solid rounds of 71. Their identical scores underlined the competitiveness at the elite junior level, where fine margins increasingly separate the leading contenders and sustained consistency is becoming the defining factor. All three ended round 1 tied on 2nd place.

The Age Group 13–16 category also witnessed an impressive under-par performance, as India’s Vivaan Ubhayakar carded a fine 70 to take the first-round lead. Sri Lanka’s Adhithya Weerasimghe followed with a composed 76, while fellow Indian Karmanye Mahajan claimed third on 77, reflecting the strong regional representation and rising standards within the tour.

In the Faldo Futures Age Group 11–12, contested over nine holes, consistency took centre stage. Jaeden Sathasivam continued his steady progress by sharing top honours with Syed Mahbeer of Bangladesh and Vivaan Singh of India, all three-finishing tied on 36 in a tightly contested segment.

The Age Group 9–10 category delivered another competitive encounter, with Pakistan’s Ayra Yasin leading on 33. Anuradapura lad, Abiman Abeywardena impressed with a second-place score of 38, while Jayith Guruge secured third on 40, showing a promising blend of international exposure and local talent.

Among the youngest competitors in the Age Group 7–8, Rahein Manathunga topped the standings with 42, followed by Thangaraja Ometh on 46 and B Aniruth on 49.

Emphasising the strong technical foundations being developed at grassroots level.

The success of the Faldo Series in Sri Lanka continues to be strengthened by the committed support of DFCC Bank and N Able, whose sponsorship reflects a long-term vision for junior golf excellence. Equally vital is the unwavering backing of RCGC, whose facilities and organisational expertise remain central to nurturing Sri Lanka’s next generation of competitive golfers. (SJ)