Danushan redrafts golf’s rags to riches tale
It came down to the final putt. Just one stroke stood between Sri Lanka’s Kumar Danushan and the biggest title of his young career at the 64th Pakistan Amateur Golf Championship. He missed the crown by a whisker, but in the eyes of many, he had already won.
For the 20-year-old, the silver medal was not a loss. It was a triumph written with sweat, sacrifice, and humility. After all, this was a young man who only days before lifted his first major crown – the 104th Royal Colombo Golf Club Championship 2025 – a win that carried the weight of family history and silent struggle.
Kumar Danushan makes his victory speech after winning the Royal Colombo Golf Club Championship, with Club Captain Gehan Siribaddana and Vice Captain Mahela Jayewardene standing behind him
When Danushan stood on the podium at RCGC, his speech melted the hearts of those present. With a trembling voice, he thanked his parents. In that moment, he revealed a story many did not know – that his father had once been a pond boy at the club, then a caddie, later a coach, and after two decades, a father who raised a son to be champion of the very same greens where he once carried other men’s clubs.
As he spoke, silence fell over the crowd. Eyes glistened with tears. For the members, this was not just about golf. It was about a family’s journey from the rough to the fairway, from carrying bags to carrying a nation’s pride.
“Too often, people forget where they came from,” said Navin de Silva, Captain of RCGC. “But Kumar reminded us all.”
Armed with that spirit, Danushan travelled to Karachi for the Pakistan Amateur Championship – a tournament with six decades of history. He was the underdog, yet he stood tall. With steady drives and calm nerves, he stayed in contention right until the end. Each round, each hole, was a test of courage. On the final day, it all came ‘down to the wire’. One stroke decided the champion. Danushan finished runner-up, but walked away with respect.
For Sri Lanka, his silver was as good as gold. It proved that a local boy from Colombo could compete shoulder to shoulder with the region’s best. At RCGC, founded in 1879, members know golf is more than a game. It is also a reflection of values. And in Danushan’s journey, they saw gratitude, humility, and perseverance.
“This is not just his triumph. It is a lesson for every young person: never forget your roots, and never stop appreciating the journey,” Captain de Silva said.
Kumar Danushan’s story is a reminder that the game of life, like golf, is full of hazards and challenges. But with patience and courage, even the longest fairway can be walked. One stroke may have kept him from the crown in Pakistan. But in the hearts of those who watched his rise – from a caddie’s son to a continental contender – Danushan has already hit a hole-in-one.