Bangladesh’s emerging junior golfer Syed Mahdi Mahbeer Shanto continued his steady rise on the international stage by finishing 13th at the third Faldo Futures Final at The Belfry in England.
Representing Kurmitola Golf Club, Shanto carded a three-over-par round to secure a top-15 finish among 51 finalists. The event brought together champions from 195 tournaments across 14 regions, following a qualifying journey involving more than 4,500 junior golfers.
Shanto produced a resilient performance in testing weather, having to negotiate heavy rain during much of his round. Although conditions improved for the later groups, the young Bangladeshi remained composed and battled his way to a creditable finish.
His place in the final was earned through a landmark victory at the Faldo Series event at Royal Colombo Golf Club in Sri Lanka in January. Shanto won the Boys’ 11–12 category with a commanding 10-under-par total over 27 holes, finishing seven shots ahead of his nearest challenger. The triumph made him the first Bangladeshi golfer in the age group to win a Faldo Series regional title.
The Belfry appearance added to an encouraging international season. In July, Shanto finished fifth in Group C and claimed the fourth runner-up trophy at the Sarawak International Junior Golf Championship in Malaysia, competing in a field of 120 golfers from 10 countries.
A special moment at The Belfry came when Shanto received a briefing from six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo. Although the adverse weather prevented a planned on-course demonstration, he had a memorable conversation with the golfing legend at the Wood Village.
Shanto also attended the DP World Tour’s British Masters during his visit, gaining first-hand exposure to elite professional golf at one of the sport’s most celebrated venues.
Introduced to golf by his father at the age of three, Shanto has developed through regular training and junior competition. His ambition is to represent Bangladesh at the highest level and eventually compete on the PGA Tour.
His performance at The Belfry represents another important step in that journey and strengthens his standing as one of Bangladesh’s most promising junior golfers.
