Chandra Perera awarded golf scholarship

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

Nineteen-year-old schoolboy from D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, Chandra Perera was awarded the golf scholarship for the most promising golfer of the year 2013/14 "The Douglas de Silva Scholarhip". This award was made jointly by the Sri Lanka Golf Union and the son of Douglas de Silva, Dilshan de Silva.

According to the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Golf Union and former cricket boss Ana Punchihewa, this scholarship was the brain child by the two sons of Douglas de Silva - Dilhan and Hervin de Silva with a view of helping young and less privileged golfers to find their feet in a sport in which the equipment itself is expensive.

The Golf Union itself is playing a major role in making this sport popular by conducting regular tournaments both in Colombo and Victoria and Nuwara Eliya and now in China Bay.

Golf runs in the family of the De Silva's for three generations or more. Their grandfather Timothy de Silva left an indelible mark in the history of golf in this resplendent isle when he became the first Lankan to win the Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Championship in 1923. This Amateur Golf Championship is the second oldest in the world and outside Britain. The oldest being the British Amateur Golf Championship. This record of a maiden win cannot be bettered or equalled.

Douglas de Silva was a keen golfer and with a big heart and he often helped young golfers to reach the top with his charitable approach.

Thus it is no surprise that his sons are carrying on this meritorious work.

The two de Silva brothers wants this scholarship to be catalyst for more individuals and the corporate sector to give more scholarships to young golfers who are economically less privileges and help them to improve their own skills and reach the top.

This year Chalitha Pushpika, R. Sureshan and Chanaka Perera were in the final short list of three. After considering many factors such as commitment and the handicap and Chanaka Perera was considered for this scholarship.

Ana Punchihewa said that golf offers a career for youngsters as unlike other sports, professional golfers could play in tournaments and earn prize money upto to a ripe age or they could take to the coaching of golf where there is a big demand.