Rianne Malixi launches 'The Big Leap' junior golf camp

MANILA, Philippines — It’s all systems go for reigning US Women’s Amateur and US Girls Junior Champion Rianne Malixi’s The Big Leap’ Camp — a groundbreaking effort for junior golf development in partnership with the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP) — slated from May 20-23 at the Royal Northwoods Golf Course in Bulacan.

The camp will fully sponsor up to 20 of the next rising stars in Philippine junior golf ages 12 and below all personally handpicked by Rianne, the Philippines’ best amateur golf talent, to introduce them and their parents to her personal training regimen and program to hopefully give these players and their families and teams a push to the right direction in their junior golf journey.

The players selected by Malixi are Filomena Tambunting, Marco Angheng, Brie Macasaet, Franco Estrella, Stephanie Gan, Andres Jeturian, Quincy Pilac, Halo Pangilinan, Kami del Mundo, Jacob Sy, Venus de los Santos, Luis Espinosa, Muniq Dy, Rupert Cariño, Marquella Dy, Miguel Orbita, Samantha Alvarez, Monte Andaman, Mavis Espedido, Eliana Mendoza, Erriane Pobeda, Aerin Chan and Cailley Gonzales.

“I am happy that we are able to hold this camp for my younger brothers and sisters in junior golf. I have been blessed by a lot of early success and I want to share what I have as early as now with the junior golf community. I want to inspire the next batch of great Filipino junior golfers and want to do my part in further raising Philippine flag in junior golf now through the future efforts of the participants of The Big Leap Camp” said Malixi, who will be at the camp before she flies off to play in the US Women’s Open in Erin, Wisconsin next week.

JGFP president Oliver Gan commended the initiatives of Malixi — a way to give back to the sport — saying: “May this be the start of better efforts to properly raise Philippine junior golf to greater heights. We celebrate our champions like Rianne and admire her further with her desire to further uplift Philippine junior golf. May we all learn better from the children and work harder for our children in this sport to rise above pettiness and create a toxic free golf and truly inclusive junior golf environment.”

The camp will be headed by Program Director and renowned amateur and junior amateur coach, Norman Sto. Domingo, Malixi’s longtime swing coach and the architect behind her world-class swing. On-the-ground coaching will be headed by veteran coach Jun Cedo together with coaches Willy Panganiban — Malixi’s top short game and course management coach — JGFP coach and former junior world champion Aileen Yao and Quantum Indoor coach, and trusted Sto. Domingo assistants Hanson So and Venjo Reyes.

The coaches will hold small group instruction with the campers in short game and course management strategy.

“The coaches will not touch the swings of the players. They all have their respective coaches for that. What we want is to introduce them to training strategies and methodologies that worked for Rianne that may apply in their own programs and hopefully help them,” said Roy Malixi, Rianne’s father who spearheads the project.

“We want to impact not only the junior golfers but their families as well. We want to share our experiences and hope that they can get learn form us and apply it to their own personal journey in golf. We want to help and pay it forward. We want them to learn from our success and also more importantly from all our mistakes,” he added.

Dr. Robert Winters from Australia, Rianne’s sports psychologist and a key contributor in Rianne’s success, will also hold sessions with the camp participants via online. Joann Tan-Lorenzo will do lectures on the importance of sports nutrition and refueling.

Mark Caron, a top strength and conditioning coach for almost 18 years with multiple top pro and amateur teams and athletes across different sports, is also a TPI-certified coach.

There will also be speakers from former junior golf parents of successful junior golfers in college and professional golf who will share with the parents their own private golf journey and how to manage a full international golf schedule. There will also be lectures on proper golf rules and golf etiquette on and off the course for both players and their parents and teams.