Playing by the rules

Alex Eala deservedly captured the nation’s attention with her breakthrough run at Wimbledon. But while the country was glued to Centre Court, another young Filipina was quietly making history on a different stage.

In Ireland, golf prodigy Rianne Malixi delivered one of the finest performances of her young career, winning three of her four matches to help power the International Team to a dramatic 30.5-29.5 victory over the United States in the Arnold Palmer Cup — the amateur equivalent of golf’s prestigious Ryder Cup.

Malixi produced one of the tournament’s defining moments in the singles matches, calmly draining a lengthy eagle putt to defeat highly regarded American Jasmine Koo, 1-up. The clutch victory proved crucial, as the International Team escaped with the slimmest possible winning margin.

Had it happened at another time, Malixi’s heroics would likely have dominated Philippine sports headlines. Instead, they unfolded alongside Eala’s unforgettable Wimbledon campaign, leaving one of the country’s brightest golfing stars to shine a little more quietly.

Yet Malixi’s achievement deserves every bit as much recognition. At just 20, she has once again shown she belongs among the world’s elite amateurs, proving that the Philippines is producing world-class talent not only on the tennis court but also on the golf course.

While Eala inspired a nation in London, Malixi was doing the same in Ireland — one pressure-packed shot at a time.

Rianne’s exploits came while another competition was unfolding in Manila — the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

At first glance, golf and politics have nothing in common. One is played on fairways, the other in hearing rooms. But spend enough time around both, and the similarities become difficult to ignore.

Golf is one of the few sports where integrity is built into the game. Long before television cameras or referees intervene, players are expected to call penalties on themselves. They replace divots, repair ball marks, respect silence when others are taking their shots, and accept both good and bad breaks. The scorecard only matters because honesty comes first.

Politics, unfortunately, often works in reverse.

Instead of accepting penalties, politicians look for loopholes. Instead of playing the ball where it lies, many try to improve the lie. Every ruling becomes debatable, every setback becomes someone else’s fault, and every loss is blamed on the referee.

This week, as the Senate opened one of the most consequential impeachment trials in recent history, the country deserves something golf understands well: respect for the rules.

Whether one supports or opposes the vice president should not matter inside the impeachment court. Like a tournament committee enforcing the Rules of Golf, senators must apply the Constitution fairly — not according to public opinion, social media trends, or political alliances.

Every golfer knows there are days when the wind changes, putts lip out, and carefully struck drives end up in the rough. Complaining does not change the score. The only option is to play the next shot.

The same should be true in public office. Evidence should matter more than emotion. Facts should outweigh noise. Institutions should be stronger than personalities.

Perhaps that is why golf remains such a revealing sport. It rewards patience instead of outrage, preparation instead of shortcuts, and accountability instead of excuses.

No golfer wins a championship by arguing with the rules.

No democracy should either.

As another week unfolds — with golf tournaments on one side and political trials on the other — Filipinos can only hope that those entrusted with deciding the nation’s future remember what every golfer learns sooner or later: your reputation is built not by your best shot, but by how you conduct yourself when the pressure is greatest.

The score, after all, eventually takes care of itself.