RIANNE Malixi and her father Roy are forming a program together with the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines that is aimed towards developing young golfers that would become the future stars of the sport.
The Malixis intend to name the program as The Big Leap where they look to discover golfers aged 8 to 13 who will be trained this summer.
“It’s always been a dream of my dad and I to really give back to Philippine golf ever since I was younger,” said Rianne, the reigning US Open Juniors and Women’s Amateur champion, in a recent interview.
“I really do love to help out the junior kids. I think it’s an honor and privilege to do so. I just wanted to help out as soon as I can because I have the capability to help with the help of my dad and with JGFP,” said Malixi, who turned 18 on March 10.
READ: Malixi withdraws from Augusta National event due to back injury
Roy said the program is targeting about 20 kids as well as their parents since, based from experience of helping her daughter in her golfing career, they will also become a major part of the success of the children.
“Makikita mo, ang mga great athletes, behind those success is a great parent,” said Roy, who was Rianne’s coach since she was young kid.
“‘Yun ang gusto ko na maging approach with the training program. We are planning to have a five-day training camp and it doesn’t focus only on the kids, but mainly, it focuses on the training of the parents. We will have invitations from reputable coaches, especially doon sa mental coaches, just to have sessions with parents on how to handle talented kids.”
“Maybe we will start with 20 young kids. Ang bracket is 8 to 13 years old because isa sa mga reason nun is ito ‘yung age na ‘yung mga kids, they are capable of absorbing everything. We have to teach them to start right,” he continued.
JGFP president Oliver Gan looks forward to working with the Malixis in the endeavor.
“The JGFP has a lot of young players especially 12 and under. It suddenly boomed ever since Rianne won the US Amateur and US Junior. It boomed especially the ladies. So I think there is a big interest especially with the younger generations to become world champion because they saw that it is achievable.”
“The JGFP is very happy that our national treasure, Rianne Malixi, acknowledges that we need a program, it’s a grassroots program, and then we develop it into an elite player. We are thankful that Roy is sharing his experience in training Rianne because there’s a lot of parents that are spending a lot of money but don’t really know the right way how to improve,” said Gan.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
