Sensational Kaya makes stunning impact on first day

By Shamseer Jaleel

Sri Lanka’s young golfing talents made an impressive statement on the opening day of the Nick Faldo Junior European Championship with three national representatives placing themselves firmly in contention after strong performances in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions in the UAE on Tuesday.

The highlight of the day came from Kaya Daluwatte representing the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) who delivered a superb round of 68 (-2) to claim a share of the lead in the girls’ championship alongside Lova Jansson of Sweden on equal terms. 

Kaya displayed remarkable composure on the demanding layout and finished tied for first position. Her opening score places her at the forefront of the title race with two more rounds to be played. 

Her exposure on the international stage had taken her to a different level after recently winning in Thailand and a bronze medal at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain recently. She without a doubt looks a medal prospect for Sri Lanka at the next year’s Asian Games in Japan. 

In the boys’ championship, Reshan Algama (RCGC) continued to underline his growing reputation on the international junior circuit. He carded a steady 70 (E) securing a place at T6, just three strokes behind the early leader, Michael Chuma of Nkana Golf Club, who posted the day’s low score of 67 (-3). 

Jevahn Sathasivam (RCGC) also put together a respectable round of 71 (+1) to finish T11 on the leaderboard along with Mark Hewlett from Worcester Golf and Country Club in the UK. The opening effort keeps him comfortably inside the top 15 as he aims to build momentum over the next two days.

For Sri Lanka, it proved to be an encouraging opening day, with the trio of Daluwatte, Algama and Sathasivam all delivering performances that keep them firmly in contention for a strong finish. 

With two more crucial rounds remaining Sri Lankan juniors can hope to build on the momentum as they chase top honours in one of Europe’s premier junior golf championships.