Sri Lankan junior golfers finish eighth in Malaysia

By: Shamseer Jaleel

MALAYSIA (Daily Mirror) - The Sri Lankan junior golfers secured the overall eighth position out of 14 teams at the World Junior Golf Tournament, held in Selangor, Malaysia.

The Sri Lankan juniors, who had mixed fortunes, playing under tough conditions and adverse weather, overcame some of the top teams such as South Korea ‘A’, China and Singapore.

The juniors from the Philippines won the team event securing the top position. Jacob Cajita (Philippines) won the event followed by Karthik Singh (India) and Kang Geon (Philippines).

Out of the four Sri Lankan golfers who teed off in Malaysia, Reshan Algama was in top form ending on number 15 out of the 55 juniors while Kumar Danushan secured 31st place.

Another sensational junior golfer, Jevahn Sathasivam ended in 35th place, which helped the overall ranking for Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, Adithya Weerasinghe ended in 50th place in the overall ranking.

However, it was on the third and last day that Algama, showcased his mettle with a four-over-par round, resulting in a total score of 230. This performance secured him a respectable top-15 position overall.

Algama's remarkable comeback came after a disastrous day one, where he had found himself in 24th place. His top-class performance not only helped him regain lost ground but also showcased his potential to be a future star in the world of golf.

Meanwhile, Danushan, another Sri Lankan hopeful, faced a torrid day and finished 30th with a total score of 241 (14-over-par on the last day), despite battling exhaustion.

Danushan’s efforts, although not reflected in the final standings, are commendable and he will gain valuable World Amateur Ranking Points.

Sathasivam, another member of the Sri Lankan Team, showed glimpses of his potential, further cementing the fact that Sri Lanka possesses a pool of promising young talent in the world of golf.

He stormed back into the 35th position but the difference between him and Danushan was just two shots. Competition among the junior golfers was very high in Malaysia which is certain to give them the much-needed exposure.

This experience in Malaysia is undoubtedly invaluable for the Sri Lankan Team. It not only offered them the opportunity to compete on a global stage but also exposed them to varying weather conditions and challenging course setups.

The lessons learned from this tournament will undoubtedly aid in the development of these young talents, preparing them for future endeavours.