Expectations high on Filipino golfers
MEMBERS of the national golf team, headed by Rianne Malixi, are expected to dominate in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Pattaya.
Photograph courtesy of bones floro
Daily TribuneMEMBERS of the national golf team, headed by Rianne Malixi, are expected to dominate in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Pattaya.
Photograph courtesy of bones floro
PATTAYA, Thailand — Rianne Malixi banners the Philippine golf team that will compete in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at the Siam Country Club here.
Malixi is joined by Junia Gabasa and Grace Quinanilla in the biennial competition, a year after she won the US Girls Junior and US Women’s Amateur.
The men’s team is composed of Chris Remata, Rolando Bregente, Perry Bucay and Shinichi Suzuki.
Expectations are robust for national golfers who will be competing in the individual and team events.
A bronze medalist in the team event in 2021 with Lois Kaye Go and Mafy Singson, Malixi placed second in the individual competition of the World Amateur Team Championship in Singapore last October, shooting a 9-under par 279 total, four shots behind Ying Xu of China.
The men’s team is coming off a conquest of the Putra Cup last November at the Luisita Golf and Country Cup in Tarlac, beating host Thailand.
“We are very confident in both our women’s and men’s teams to win medals,” National Golf Association president Bones Floro said.
“We were able to keep the same players from our recent successes namely champions at the Putra Cup for the men and seventh in the World Amateur Team Championship with Rianne finishing second individually as well.”
“They are all very close, work very well together, all in good shape and very excited to once again do our country proud.”
The Philippines’ last gold in golf was in 2019 when now-LPGA campaigner Bianca Pagdanganan won two in the individual and team event with Go.