‘Fortune favours the brave’ – Sri Lankan golfer Anura Rohana has proved the saying true in every respect. A professional since 2002, Rohana has played on the PGTI ever since. He comes from a humble background and took up golf after his father instilled an interest in the game in him. But mastering the game or having the interest is not enough. Golf needs a lot of money and exposure, and he had neither. He did not have the money the game demanded, and Sri Lanka did not have the tournaments to give him exposure. That did not stop him from following his dream.
He approached the Sri Lankan Golf Union for help, and it readily agreed. The next step was to find somewhere to play, and he decided on the PGTI, perhaps the best decision of his life. He qualified, first played on the tour in 2002 and enjoyed considerable success. That continued for the next three years.
He made a good name for himself in the game, but what was missing was money. Under the terms agreed earlier, a large part of what he earned on the PGTI went to the Sri Lankan Golf Union. He looked for sponsors, but in vain, because few people in the country knew much about golf. Finally, in 2005, he borrowed Rs 1 lakh from his close friend Sashikaran and ended his three-year association with the union.
It was a risky step that could have put his career in jeopardy, but he chose not to worry and went ahead. He was brimming with confidence and self-belief. “I knew how to make money in golf. I wanted money for myself. I had the belief that I would be able to pull it off,” said the 38-year-old golfer, who has earned about Rs 23 lakh from the PGTI and the Asian Tour.
It was bang on target. He excelled after the move and repaid the debt within a year, which he cherishes as the best moment of his life. “I liked the feeling when I was returning the money to him. It was so surreal. I was repaying a sum of Rs 1 lakh, which is by no means a small amount. The incident changed me and made me more focused,” he added.
The professional, known as Kuttu to those close to him, grew up admiring Ernie Els. Sri Lankan golf’s prodigious son thinks of nothing but golf. “I never wanted to be anything else. Golf is all I have known all my life. I do not think of anything else. Even in my free time I practise, especially my short game,” he said. Anura is also a football fan and supports Argentina to the core.
Anura, who has never had a major win on the PGTI, feels his best is yet to come. The biggest win of his career so far is the 2009 Nepal Open. “The world has not seen my best yet. I have had many top-10 finishes but have not won anything apart from the Nepal Open. I am happy with my game, but I know I need to play better than I have been playing to win more titles. Mark my words. My best is coming soon.”
Anura, the top-ranked professional golfer in Sri Lanka, likes playing in India and calls it his second home. “The hospitality extended to me and other overseas players in India is very commendable. I do not feel as if I am playing in another country. The crowds do not let me feel like that,” said the golfer.
A golfer from another country who has made a name for himself on the Indian tour deserves credit. His determination and hard work are a lesson for everyone, and he has shown that where there is a will, there is a way.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
