VETERAN golfer Ramesh Krishna Goundon is embracing a fresh challenge on the fairways as he teed off at the DHL FGC Excellence Championship at the Fiji Golf Club in Suva yesterday.
The seasoned golfer acknowledged the tournament presented strong competition, particularly with the emergence of young talent rising through Fiji’s golfing ranks.
“There are good competitors, skilled golfers, and some very promising young players coming through.”
Goundon commended the development of junior golf in the country, noting that Fiji continues to nurture promising young talent, including a growing number of female golfers.
“We have a junior team and produce some excellent junior golfers,” he said.
“The ladies are also coming up with a very strong team, so it’s very encouraging.”
For Goundon, golf has always been an integral part of his life.
He described himself as a “born golfer,” crediting his late paternal grandfather for introducing the family to the sport during Fiji’s colonial era.
“My grandfather was the one who built a number of golf courses in the colonial era,” he explained.
“I’ve been learning golf since childhood.”
Although he only began competing in 2006, Goundon has worked hard to improve his game over the years. He revealed that he had lowered his handicap to eight at one point before settling at ten.
“I think I’ve done quite well to come down to ten at this age,” he remarked.
“I managed to get down to eight but maintaining that level is tough.”
Now, his focus is on enjoying the tournament while testing himself against a strong field of golfers.
“I’m looking forward to a good game with these competitors,” he said.
Goundon also used the opportunity to encourage more young people to take up golf and follow in the footsteps of Fiji golfing legend Vijay Singh.
“When you’re young, you have flexibility and can compete in good tournaments to prove yourself as a better golfer,” he said.
“Just like Vijay Singh—he made his debut on the world stage and became number one.”
