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| Sunday, 29 February 2004 |
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Lalith Kumara - the golfing star, brings hope for less fortunate ones by SRIAN OBEYESEKERE Golf, known to be a rich man's sport, figured hugely in a confab last Thursday which bordered from local hero, B. G. Lalith Kumara's emergence as the best amateur in Asia, to further expanding the game. The hotel's plush air conditioned lounge was a contrast of settings as the large gathering applauded Kumara's feat with the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) acknowledging the invasion of elite barriers. There was SLGU President, Capt. Shiran Soysa saying that it was not a case of the less privileged being shut out, but flaunting their talents where the caddie boys had come to be recognised like the bastions being broken into in other sports here like cricket and athletics. While Galadari also figured centrally with its Sales and Marketing Director, David Nicole announcing its commitment as the official hotel of the SLGU, Kumara's occupation of a chair at the table was indeed a shot in the arm for the ordinary man on the street for their latent talent in teeing. A fact driven home by foreign coach, Henk Stevens in seeing Kumara's latest triumph in Pakistan as one where Kumara was able to 'get over the last 3 holes'. It's culmination was having also won the Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship 2003 and Indian Amateur Golf Championship 2004. A unique achievement after Nandasena whom the golf boss hoped 25-year old Kumara would emulate in time. Kumara's emergence was on the back of a career which flowered winning the Sri Lanka Junior Open under-15 twice, Sri Lanka Junior Open under-19 in 1995, Indian Amateur Golf Championship 2000, Nuwara-Eliya Caddies Open 2003, and runner-up at the Pakistan Amateur Golf Championship 2003 and Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Championship 2003. But the realistic logistics of putting up more golf circuits running into millions of rupees, having a local professional circuit and marketing it lucratively unfolded at the confab on a day several other young golfers including Amrit de Soysa, winner of under-19 (04 round strokeplay), Mithun Perera, runner-up in same event, Sanjay Wettimuny, son of former Sri Lanka cricketer Sidath, winner of under-15 (03 round strokeplay), Binupa Wijesinghe, runner-up in same event in making a clean sweep by winning the inaugural Junior Championship of Pakistan at the 43rd Pakistan Amateur Open Golf Championships were felicitated. But the future was full of hope with the brainchild of negotiating Sri Lankan cricket to World Cup winning heights in 1995-'96, Ana Punchihewa courtesy foreign expertise and modern technology, there in a big way to give golf the same hand. Punchihewa, who told the 'Sunday Observer' that 'my first love even before I stepped into cricket was golf', breathed the hope saying, "Sri Lanka which produced a world champion in billiards, world champions cricket team, has the potential to produce a world champion in golf." |
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