RCGC, VGC & NEGC:

Caddies triangular for Beadon Cup begins

Richard DWIGHT

The caddies, of the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC), the Victoria Golf Club (VGC) and the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club (NEGC) - comprising a team of 16 from each club, will take a break from their services as caddies, to most deservedly pit their might against each other in the Ryder Cup format of play for the Beadon Cup - which initially commenced yesterday and will be continued today at the VGC course and conclude on 11 and 12 July at the NEGC course.

This tournament set apart exclusively for caddies came into being in 1957 in recognition and appreciation of the fondness for golf displayed by the caddies, for which they had a penchant.

The Beadon Cup competition was mainly meant to encourage and espouse the cause of golf amongst the caddies and thereby unearth talent, which was available.

It’s most salutary from the caddies point of view, and their future as potential golfers - that this competition was revived after a lapse of 25 years last year, through the efforts of the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) under the presidency of N. U. G. De Silva, and sponsored by a group of Sri Lankan golfers in California who were represented by Chiran Chandrasena and Tyronne Gabriel.

This year too, the Beadon Cup competition in its 51st year, will be organised and conducted by the SLGU with Chiran Chandrasena and Tyronne Gabriel representing the sponsors who are a group of Sri Lankan golfers in California.

The wife of the donor, Mrs. Beadon and her granddaughter is expected to be present.

The competition will be based on match play and proceed on the Ryder Cup format, which will be made up of Fourball, Two ball foursomes and singles.

On the 9th and 10th of July Colombo (RCGC) caddies will play against the caddies of VGC in Digana, Kandy - the winner of which will take on the caddies of NEGC, in Nuwara Eliya on the 11th and 12th of July, whereon will emerge the ultimate winner. Last year the winning caddies team, was Nuwara Eliya Golf Club.

The best among the VGC caddies is E. M. G. Pradeep, Vijitha Bandara, R. Pathmanatha, D. M. Jayantha, R. Logarajah and J. Prakash. The pick amongst the RCGC (Colombo) is N. Amarapathma, R. Arumugam, J. M. D. Indika, J. J. Kumar, J. Harrison, B. A. Rohana, J. Sasi Kumar and G. Selva Kumar, Nuwara Eliya will have K. Saundradas, G. Niroshan, K. Niroshan, G. Kishokumar, P. Sundaram and T. Jayasena.

All arrangements have been made by the sponsors with the support of the SLGU and to pay an allowance, provide food, transport and clothing to the players.