Junior golf nationals from today

Richard DWIGHT

GOLF: The tee box, fairways and greens of the Royal Colombo Golf Club will swing into action this morning, when the up and coming youngsters pit their might against each other to vie for the Sri Lanka Junior golf title.

This annual golf championship is being organised and conducted by the Sri Lanka Golf Union and sponsored by 'Milo' for the 5th successive year. It will commence today and conclude on Wednesday 20.

To the credit of former cricketer Ian Pieris it must be said that on his observing the talent of our Junior golfers came up with a sponsorship programme which was named the Sri Lanka Junior Championship in the late eighties sponsored by Richard Pieris and Co.

This has resulted in there being a core of talented golfers forming the national pool. Mention must be made that two of our professional golfers in Anura Rohana who participates in the Asian Circuit and Lalith Kumara who takes part in the Indian Circuit and a prominent amateur Tissa Chandradasa, are former Sri Lanka Junior champions who have won National Amateur titles overseas - whilst, Mithun Perera, son of the famed Nandasena Perera, is another beneficiary of the Sri Lanka Junior championship, who is an emerging noteworthy golfer.

This championship, as in the past that has the ongoing support of 'Milo' will have around 30 juniors competing. They will play according to their age categories viz, Bronze division 9 years and under, Silver Division 10-14 years and championship Division 15-17+.

These junior golfers are fortunate in having the services of a professional coach namely, Daniel Glenn to develop their technique in their formative years.