Young Malixi seeks to cap season with 'doubles' win

MANILA, Philippines – Winner of three individual crowns, including one she clinched while playing in a lower age-group division, Rianne Malixi shoots for a “team” championship this time, linking up with Precious Zaragosa in the National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship unfolding Friday at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club.

Malixi, 12, upstaged her older rivals to snare the overall championship in the Philippine junior Amateur Open (stroke play) at Sherwood then bagged the Philippine Amateur Open Match Play title and nipped Sophia Blanco for the Northern Luzon Regional plum, both at Luisita, making her one of the players to watch in the three-day tournament that drew 20 teams featuring the country’s leading and rising players in the ranks.

But the rising star from Benedictine International School, who also placed second in the WExpress RVF Cup in Canlubang and came in third in the Riviera MVPSF Amateur Championship, remains wary of their chances given the depth of the field although she expects to complement well with Zaragosa’s game in pursuit of the crown in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Jed Dy likewise hopes to make the most of his new partnership with Mikha Fortuna as the former Junior World champion guns for a repeat after teaming up with LPGA Tour-bound and SEA Games gold medalist Bianca Pagdanganan to dominate the field last year.

But the rest of the teams have also toughened up for NGAP’s season-ending tournament held as part of the PLDT National Amateur Golf Tour and backed by Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments with Northern Luzon Regional titlist and SEAG veteran Sean Ramos and Gabby Macalaguim and the pair of Indonesian Amateur Open titlist Luis Castro, also a member of the SEAG bronze medal team, and Andres Lorenzo looming as among the top contenders.

Other fancied pairs are Rald Sarmiento-Masaichi Otake, Paolo Barro-Jeff Jung, Zachary Castro-Miguel Ilas, Luigi Guerrero and Dan Cruz, Aldo Barro-Ivan Monsalve, Jonas Austria-Marco Olives, Santino Diokno-Miguel Roque, Laurea Duque-Eagle Ace Superal, Tomita Arejola-Nicole Abelar, and Sam Martirez-Diana Araneta.

Format is the four-ball (best ball) in the first round with action shifting to aggregate on Saturday. Sunday’s final round will feature the two-ball foursomes.

Meanwhile, registration for the 2020 National Stroke Play Championship, set January 7-10, at Riviera’s Langer course, is ongoing. For details, call NGAP at telefax No. (02) 7065926 or at Riviera Golf Club, Inc. at (02) 888-9089 or 0956-8821149 email [email protected].