It’s all systems go for The Big Leap Camp, a groundbreaking junior golf development initiative led by none other than Rianna Malixi — the reigning US Women’s Amateur and US Girls’ Junior champion.
In partnership with the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP), the camp will run from 20-23 May at Royal Northwoods Golf Course in Bulacan.
The camp is a deeply personal project for the 17-year-old golf phenom, who is giving back to the sport that’s already given her so much. Rianna is personally selecting up to 20 promising junior golfers, aged 12 and under, to participate — all fully sponsored.
The goal? To introduce these rising stars (and their families) to the same training methods and routines that helped shape Rianna into one of the world’s top amateur talents.
“This is something close to my heart,” Malixi said. “I’ve been fortunate to achieve success early in my career, and now I want to share what I’ve learned. I hope this camp inspires my younger brothers and sisters in junior golf to dream bigger and work harder — for themselves and for Philippine golf.”
The camp’s training program is headlined by Norman Sto. Domingo, Rianna’s long-time swing coach and the mastermind behind her world-class form. Joining him are some of the Philippines’ top golf mentors, including: Coach Jun Cedo — veteran coach and camp lead instructor; Coach Willy Panganiban — Rianna’s short game and course management coach; Coach Aileen Yao — former Junior World champion and JGFP coach; and coach Hanson So — Sto. Domingo’s trusted assistant and Quantum Indoor coach.
These experts will conduct small-group sessions focused on short game skills and on-course strategy. Notably, the camp won’t make swing changes — instead, it aims to complement what each young golfer is already learning from their personal coaches.
‘Rianne is not just a champion on the course — she’s a leader off of it.’
“We’re not here to fix their swings,” said Roy Malixi, Rianna’s father and one of the camp’s organizers. “Each of these kids already has a coach. What we’re doing is introducing training strategies and methods that worked for Rianne — things that might help shape their own journey, too.”
The Big Leap Camp isn’t just about technical skills. The program also includes sessions that touch on every facet of an athlete’s development:
Dr. Robert Winters — Rianna’s sports psychologist based in Australia, will host mindset and mental training workshops via Zoom;
Joan Tan — will lecture on sports nutrition and the importance of proper recovery; and
Coach Mark Caron, MSc, CSCS, XPS — a top strength and conditioning expert and UP professor will lead lectures on athletic development, injury prevention, and movement science. He’ll also run daily pre-round movement prep sessions for campers.
To support parents, the camp will feature panel talks with former junior golf parents, sharing real stories about navigating college golf recruitment, managing international schedules, and balancing life around junior golf. There will also be discussions on rules, etiquette, and building a healthy, inclusive golf culture — on and off the course.
“We’re not just here for the kids,” Roy added. “We want to support families, too. We’ve made a lot of mistakes and learned from them. Now, we want to share those lessons and hopefully give these young players and their parents a head start.”
Rianna will be on-site at the camp before flying to compete in the U.S. Women’s Open in Erin, Wisconsin later that month. For her, this camp is just the beginning of what she hopes will be a bigger movement for Philippine junior golf.
“I hope this camp sparks more efforts like this — to help develop, inspire, and guide the next generation,” she said. “I want to do my part in raising the Philippine flag even higher in junior golf, not just through my own play, but through the future of others.”
Oliver Gan, president of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines, echoed that sentiment:
“Rianne is not just a champion on the course — she’s a leader off of it. We celebrate her not only for her titles, but for her desire to uplift others. This is how we grow junior golf: through support, unity, and a commitment to creating a positive, inclusive, and empowering environment for young athletes.”