Sensational start by Kaya with under par round

By Shamseer Jaleel

Sri Lanka’s junior golf pathway received another strong boost with the successful staging of the Faldo Series Sri Lanka 2026 held at the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) where emerging talent across multiple age groups showcased depth, discipline and growing competitive maturity.

At the Open Junior segment age group 17 to 21, Kaya Daluwatte set the benchmark with a superb gross score of 65 to top the leaderboard, underlining his technical consistency and course management. 

She had an early lead with her experience with an under par round and was closely followed by Kumar Danushan, T Deshan and Reshan Algama all three carding 71, reflecting the narrowing margins at elite junior level and the healthy rivalry among Sri Lanka’s top prospects.

In the Age Group 13 to 16 segment India’s Vivaan Ubhayakar produced a commanding round of 70 to secure first place after day one with another sensational start with an under par round as well. 

Adhithya Weerasinghe followed with 76, while Karmanye Mahajan of India secured third place on 77, highlighting the increasingly competitive regional flavour of the Faldo Junior Tour.

In the Faldo Futures Age Group 11–12 contested over nine holes, consistency was the defining factor with youngster Jaden Sathaviam tied with Syed Mahbeer of Bangladesh and Vivaan Singh of India all returning identical scores of 36.

The Age Group 9-10 category delivered another competitive contest with Pakistan’s Ayra Yasin leading on 33 with the lad from Anuradhapur a Abiman Abeywardena finishing second with a score of 38 eager to bounce back to the top position while Jayith Guruge claimed third on 40, reflecting a healthy mix of international exposure and local promise.

At the youngest Age Group 7-8 years, Rehein Manatunga emerged on top with a score of 42, followed by Thangaraja Ometh on 46 and B Aniruth on 49, highlighting the early technical foundations being laid within Sri Lanka’s junior golf structure.

The continued success of the Faldo Series locally is strongly underpinned by the committed backing of DFCC Bank and N able, whose sustained sponsorship reflects a long-term belief in structured junior development and high-performance pathways within Sri Lankan golf. Their involvement has ensured professional standards and continuity across age groups.

Equally vital has been the Royal Colombo Golf Clubs unwavering support, providing world-class playing conditions and organisational expertise. RCGC’s role remains central to nurturing junior golf, offering young players the environment and opportunity required to transition from grassroots promise to competitive excellence on regional and international stages