Strong challenge from foreign golfers

119th Sri Lanka Amateur Golf C'ship

Richard Dwight

GOLF: Bangladesh's reputed golfer Sidiq-ul-Rahman who won the Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Championship last year, will be here to defend the title when the 119th Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Championship tees off from Wednesday, November 8 and concludes on Saturday 11 at the Royal Colombo Golf Club.

This prestigious annual championship, which is considered the second oldest, next to the British Amateur open, does enjoy the patronage of the RCGC and is being conducted by the Sri Lanka Golf Union.

This year's contest as of last year will proceed on the stroke play format and not on the match play as accustomed to in the earlier years.

This deviation is resorted to with the sole purpose of saving on time and days, especially when a competition of this nature involves foreign participation. Most remarkable and heartening it is, that this golf nationals has earned a reputation through the years to be attractive enough to draw golfers from abroad mostly from the subcontinent countries.

There being no exception this year too, with Sidiq-ul-Rahman amongst others forming the Bangladesh team, while India's squad will be headed by the star golfer Gagan,, Verma.

Pakistan and Nepal have yet to name their team. Sri Lanka's hopes rest with former champion K. Prabagaran, the up and coming Mithum Perera and the experienced Tissa Chandradasa.

The Ladies Amateur Championship unfortunately will not have any foreign participation but there would be strong competition amongst the Sri Lankans, namely Jakie Dias, Dhanushi Senadhira, Shayanika Fernando, Anouk Chitty and Miloo Jayatilleke.

In addition there will also be resident Korean ladies avid golfers taking part. Apart from the main championship there will also be held concurrently competitions for Dudley Senanayake Trophy, Levers Challenge, Shield, Levers and the RCGC Cups - and the Senior Championship.