WOMEN'S AMATEUR ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP

February 13, 2026

Kaya Daluwatte

Quick Quotes

Q. Thank you for your time today for the interview questions. Yeah, how does it feel being the first Sri Lankan athlete to make the cut in this eight-year tenure of the tournament?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Pretty cool actually. I played this event three years now and (indiscernible) course last year, but didn't play well enough to make the cut.

This year was pretty cool. So came here in November and I think that helped me. I came here for the WAAP Academy and got to see the course. Yeah, my game was a lot better than it was last year, so, yeah, very happy to make the cut.

Q. And how did you find the academy? What did you learn there and could you use it in this tournament?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Yeah, so the academy, we learn to like basically play this course. I learned how to strategize on this course and where my tee shots will go and how to putt on this course. The greens are very different from home. Very slopey, and, yeah, a lot of information that kind of helped me.

Q. And how does it feel to represent Sri Lanka?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Very proud. I mean it's a small country and not many girls play golf in Sri Lanka. I'm one of the few to play golf there. Yeah, hopefully inspire more girls to play and take up the sport in Sri Lanka.

Q. Since you've done the WAAP Academy and had your practice round and two rounds, are you sort of the getting the feel for this course now? Feel more confident?

KAYA DALUWATTE: A lot more confident now. Just need to get a few more putts rolling in tomorrow. Yeah, gave myself a lot of birdie looks; just couldn't hole any of them.

Q. What part of your game did you feel was your strongest?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Probably driving today. Yeah, I was hitting a lot of fairways and hitting it close; couldn't convert it into birdies.

Yeah, hopefully get a few more putts in tomorrow.

Q. Was a bit of different weather than you have seen today. It was raining and then it was sunny and then it was raining again.

KAYA DALUWATTE: Yeah.

Q. How do you find that in your round?

KAYA DALUWATTE: I mean, the weather couldn't make up its mind. We came in November and it was this kind of weather. It was raining and probably worse than this, so a bit of practice for that as well. Kind of used to it. Got the umbrella and rain jacket out.

Yeah, just played through it, yeah.

Q. What will be one thing you can take from today and use for tomorrow?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Just take it one hole at a time and not get ahead of yourself. Yeah, it's not over until the last putt falls.

Q. Any messages for friends, family back home, fans back in Sri Lanka?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Well, I miss them and thank you for your support. Hope to see you back home, yeah.

Q. How did you get started playing golf?

KAYA DALUWATTE: My dad and my family, so they all used to play golf and I used to just go along with them. I sort of got into the sport like that. My grandparents used to be pretty good golfers, yeah.

Q. Who is the best golfer in the family now?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Probably me I would say, but my dad and brother are already good golfers now, too.

Q. When you play, do you usually beat dad?

KAYA DALUWATTE: He wouldn't like that, but, yeah. I give him a few shots, but, yeah.

Q. That's kind that you give him some shots.

KAYA DALUWATTE: Yeah.

Q. You said that not many girls in Sri Lanka play golf; that you hope to inspire more girls to do it and would like to see more playing. What would be like your piece of advice to a young girl in Sri Lanka thinking about playing golf for the first time?

KAYA DALUWATTE: Just to have fun I think. Just enjoy it and not take it too seriously. Golf can be a bit boring at times. Find a few friends and just enjoy the game. Play it for what it is.

Q. You've had a little bit of time to sink in that you're the first Sri Lankan to make the cut in this championship. Are you incredibly proud to have that piece of history?

KAYA DALUWATTE: I'm really proud and I hope to not be the only Sri Lankan to make the cut. Hopefully many more in the future will make the cut at this lovely tournament. Pretty cool to be the first.