COLOMBO: (ePRESS) – The annual Rukmini Kodagoda Memorial Trophy, Sri Lanka Junior Match Play Golf Championship 2024, organized by Sri Lanka Golf and sponsored by Perera and Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd, will be held from August 5 to 8 at the Royal Colombo Golf Club.
The tournament will begin with a qualifying stroke-play medal round on the opening day. The best gross scores from this round will move into the match play format from August 6 to 8.
“P&S is excited to continue supporting Sri Lanka Golf, especially junior golf by offering a competitive platform for young talents to excel. Success in these tournaments will open doors to international competitions. We believe there’s a treasure trove of hidden talent waiting to be unveiled through events like this. We are committed to introducing young athletes to the joys of golf, honoring the passion of our late Chairperson, Rukmini Kodagoda,” said Gihan Perera, CEO/Managing Director of Perera and Sons.
This prestigious junior event is sponsored by Perera and Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd, the family company of the late Ms. Rukmini Kodagoda. The junior match play championship is held yearly in her honor. Rukmini Kodagoda, affectionately known as “Ruki,” was a talented sportswoman who won the Sri Lanka Amateur Championship in 1979 and several other club tournaments. She also excelled in tennis, winning national doubles and mixed doubles titles with partners such as Ranjani Jayasuriya, Wendy Molligoda, and Bernard Pinto. Ruki served as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ladies Golf Union in 1990 and 1991 and as Captain of the Ladies Section of the Royal Colombo Golf Club.
“The tournament is played for the 9th year and it is heartening to note the enthusiasm and the test of mental grit of our junior golfers given the different match play format of the championship. The progress of the junior golfers has been outstanding, with many juniors challenging the senior National Amateur golfers for selection in the National team in the recent past year,” said Ranil Pieris, President of the Sri Lanka Golf Union.
“We are truly encouraged by P&S’s commitment to junior golf. This prestigious tournament run by SLG together with P&S’s generous sponsorship will see the emergence of a Junior National Match Play Champion of Sri Lanka for 2024. Match Play is a knockout format that tests the character and skill of these young players. We wish all participants fun and the best of luck. May the best player win,” Pieris added.
The inaugural Sri Lanka Junior Match Play Golf Championship was played in 2014, with Prashan Pieris winning the title. The tournament, held annually, was paused during the COVID-19 lockdown periods and resumed in 2022. The winners in 2023 were Kaya Daluwatte, who defended her title in the girls’ division, and K. Danushan, who won the boys’ trophy for the first time.
This year, top juniors performing at the national level and participating in the Senior Ranking Tournaments conducted by Sri Lanka Golf, including Reshan Algama, Nirek Tejwani, Jevahn Sathasivam, and Aadithya Weerasinghe from Anuradhapura, are expected to challenge the defending champions for the trophy.
Players will compete in four age group categories: Gold Division (15-18 years), Silver Division (13-14 years), Bronze Division (11-12 years), and Copper Division (10 years and under). The overall winner of the championship will carry away the Rukmini Kodagoda Challenge Trophy in the boys’ and girls’ categories, respectively. The tournament format will be based on a qualifying stroke play round for each age category, with the best eight qualifying scores advancing to the match play knockout finals to determine the Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Copper Division winners. However, girls in the Gold and Silver Divisions and boys in the Gold Category will be eligible to vie for the Rukmini Kodagoda Trophy and the title of Junior Boys Champion and Junior Girls Champion, respectively.
