BY JOHN CHRISMA
To be a champion or a titleholder in any particular sport, one has to sacrifice oneself through disciplines and commit to daily practices for fitness.
This was according to former Solomon Islands Golf Title Holder, Alick Dalo during an interview with Rawsport.
Alick Dalo, 42, is originated from Malaita Province.
Mr. Dalo told Rawsport that since leaving Primary School in early 1995, he started engaging himself in golf – starting off as a Cardie for golf players.
He said during those years, he didn’t know a thing about golf and it took him five (5) years before he was formally registered as an active member in the golf club.
“During my years as a Cardie, I privately practice playing golf because I really want to become a member of the club,” Dalo said.
Dalo reaps the fruits of his patience when in 2000, he won his first competition and become the champion in a championship organized by the club.
“I managed to hold the title for 2 years beginning in 2000 to 2001 and then I took a break because of some family commitments until 2015 where I again started playing again and begun touring overseas,” Dalo said.
It was also in 2015 that for the first time in history he scoop 2 titles, one in an open Champions and one in a championship.
“An open champions is played in two rounds only and a championship is a full round consisting of four games,” he explained.
Dalo represented the Solomon Islands in the 2015 Pacific games held in Papua New Guinea and also participated in a championship held in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia in the same year.
With the Management of Michael Chow and the Current Solomon Islands golf president, Lionel Kiara, Dalo managed to participate in another championship in Hong Kong in 2017.
“I was so thankful towards the management of Mr. Michael Chow and the Current Golf president, Lionel for accompanying me to reach out as far as Hong Kong championship in 2017.
“I did not win any medal in this championship because the standard and level of the field plus the different types of grasses grown in those places were different and more advance from what grows here in the Solomon Islands,” he said.
Title Passed From Father to Son But Ended Sadly.
During the years that followed, Mr. Dalo started to train his son, Chai Dalo the art of playing golf and later registered him (His Son) in the club.
In 2018, due to a minus one shot from Dalo, his son, Chai Dalo snatch the title from him to become the New Champion in a championship organized by the club.
“My son took the title from me in 2018 because of a minus one shot from me.
“I’m very happy for him because like myself, he also started going overseas to participate in championships that is in both the ‘open Champions and ‘Championships’ especially in PNG,” Mr. Dalo said.
Dalo spoke highly of his son stating that he (his Son) had the patience and was very hardworking.
“However, on his return from one of his outings to PNG, he started feeling very sick.
“He was supposed to attend other championships in Singapore and China at that time but due to an illness, he stayed,” Dalo said.
He recalled emotionally that his son did not get better after that.
“We believed it was jealousy from some people, they cursed my son with witchcraft” Alick alleged.
On November 3rd last year 2020, Chai Dalo passed away in his home. According to his father, Alick Dalo, the cause of death was suicide.
Though the family was devastated, Mr. Dalo said they took refuge in the comfort of the Lord and knew their deceased member is in good hands.
Meanwhile, Alick Dalo swore that he is hoping to qualify and win medals at the upcoming Pacific Games to be held in Honiara 2023.
