Taniya Minel off for the Indonesian Junior C’ships
All winners with SLGU and Prima officials - Pic courtery SLGU
Vinod Weerasinghe claimed the Title of Sri Lanka Junior Boys Champion 2017, whilst nippy Taniya Minel Balasuriya edged out Kayla Perera to become the Sri Lanka Junior Girls Champion 2017 at the Ridgeways on Friday.
Vinod savouring his victory confessed that he was thinking of bettering the best score in the Junior Championship held in 2010, of 3 under Par for the 3 Rounds, and took a few risks which cost him a few dropped shots. When asked of Vinod what he hoped to achieve next? Vinod confidently stated “I will concentrate on the transition from junior Golf to Amateur Golf and strive to make an impact among the top Sri Lankan Amateurs”
An over joyed Taniya Minel enjoying her first Junior Girls Sri Lanka Champion Title said “I am very happy to win the Sri Lanka Girls Junior Championship after being the Runner Up in the All India Girls Overall Category in Mumbai earlier this month. I am leaving for Indonesia tomorrow to participate in the Indonesia Junior Golf Championship and I hope I can win more Trophies for Sri Lanka”
The Sri Lanka Junior Boys and Girls Golf Championship 2017, sponsored by ‘Prima Sunrise Bread’ for the past 10 years consecutively, produced two future stars and other prospective Champions in the Boys and Girls categories representing the different age group categories.
Weerasinghe’s Six over par 77 was enough to secure the Champion status at five over Par over 54 Holes, in the Boys Gold Division, by nine strokes from Armand Flamer Caldera. In a field of 13 Gold Division juniors, Darren Hall finished 3rd a further 14 strokes behind the runner-up.
The Girls Category combining the Gold and Silver Division saw a keen tussle to the very end between Taniya Minel and Kayla Perera. Locked together as joint leaders, both Taniya and Kayla were off to a great start in the final round Birdieing the 1st Hole!
Kayla dropped a shot at the 2nd to give Taniya the lead, which Taniya maintained extending the lead to 2 strokes at the 9th hole. Taniya’s Birdie on the 10thto Kayla’s double bogey established a 5 stroke lead. Kayla showed tremendous resolve to fight back with a Birdie on the 11th and par on the 12th to pull back 2 strokes.
Taniya fired back with Birdies on the 13th and 14th to lead by five strokes again. Kayla pulled back a stroke on the 15th when Taniya made a Bogey and then finished with much grit making Pars on 16th, 17th& Birdieing the 18th hole, whilst Taniya made a Double Bogey on the 17th and just about held on to Win by 2 strokes at 218 (Two over Par for 54 Holes) the Girls Junior Championship combined for the Gold & Silver Division. Kayla Perera’s performance is all the more creditable, being one year younger to Taniya Minel, producing a 3 Round total of 220, 4 over par for 54 holes. The two teenage girls Taniya and Kayla have proved their potential going forward for Sri Lanka.
S. Duwarshan of Nuwara Eliya Golf Club another 14 year old promising teenager won the Boys Silver Division comfortably by 15 strokes from Levon Niyarepola who improved in each round to return a 9 over par 80 in the final round.
Shanal Binushka won the Bronze Division by a wide margin of 22 strokes having led all the way in the 3 round, 42 Hole tournament for the Age group category 10 – 11+.
Kaya Daluwatte captured the Copper Division Trophy for Girls and Boys, extending her overnight lead to 4 strokes from stylish left hand Golfer Reshan Algama.
Results
Boys: Vinod Weerasinghe -218 (73, 68, 77)
Girls: Taniya Minel Balasuriya–218 (71, 73, 74)
Gold Division (Age 15-17+ Boys)
Winner: Vinod Weerasinghe 218 (5 over par)
1st Runner up: Armand Flamer Caldera 227
2nd Runner up: Darren Hall 241
3rd Runner up: Sathsara Dishan 246
Gold and Silver Division (Age 15-17+ & 12 – 14+ Girls)
Winner: Taniya Minel Balasuriya 218 (2 over par)
1st Runner up: Kayla Perera 220 (4 over par)
2nd Runner up: Sherin Mithara Balasuriya 285
3rd Runner up: Iman Sandani 285
Silver Division(AGE 12 – 14+ Boys)
Winner: S. Duwarshan (NEGC) 234
1st Runner up: Levon Niyarepola 249 (
2nd Runner up: Haroon Aslam (VGCR) 249
3rd Runner up: T. Vikash 256
Bronze Division (Age 10 – 11+ Boys & Girls) 42 Holes
Winner: Shanal Binushka 201
1st Runner up: Musa Shariff (VGCR) 223
2nd Runner up: M. Lidurshan (NEGC) 227
3rd Runner up: M. S. Sanjay (NEGC) 232
Copper Division: (Age 9 & under Boys
& Girls) 27 Holes
Winner: Kaya Daluwatte 130
1st Runner up: Reshan Algama 134
2nd Runner up: Kvahn Tejwani 136
3rd Runner up: C. Dharaniyan (NEGC) 146