Malixi gears up for maiden Queen Sirikit Cup golf campaign

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi has a couple of things going for her in the run-up to the Queen Sirikit Cup unfolding at the Manila Southwoods in three weeks’ time, moving to No. 2 in the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) ladder and posting a career-best No. 141 in the world amateur rankings.

Those should serve as big confidence-boost for the 15-year-old spearhead of the national team set to slug it out with the powerhouse teams in the region, including South Korea and Japan, in the annual Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Golf Team Championship on February 20-24 at the well-kept, challenging Masters course.

Malixi tied for sixth in the last AJGA event — the Annika Invitational — in Orlando, Florida last month, closing out with a tournament-best eight-under 65 at the par-73 Eagle Creek course as she improved from No. 4 in the AJGA overall ranking to stalk American Gianna Clemente.

But the ICTSI-backed shotmaker has shifted her focus on her maiden stint in the Queen Sirikit Cup where the Philippines limped to 11th place in a field of 13 in last year’s edition in Singapore with Arnie Taguines ending up 22nd in individual competition.

With the so-called home-court edge and local support, however, things could look up for the hosts, whose best finish in the event was a couple of runner-up feats, the last in 2015 in Hong Kong on a team built around Yuka Saso, Pauline del Rosario and Princess Superal, who placed third in individual play.

Malixi and teammate Mafy Singson, who calls Southwoods her home, will also aim to match Dottie Ardina’s victory in the individual side in 2011 in India where the LPGA Tour campaigner nipped now world No. 9 Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea by one.

Malixi has been working on her distance, short game and putting and has vowed to step her preparations in the next three weeks.

Japan topped the 2022 edition in Singapore, beating New Zealand by seven with Korea settling for third.

Korea dominated the event in 2018 and 2019 in Thailand and Australia, respectively, before it was shelved in 2020-21 due to pandemic.

The Philippines, which placed fourth in Thailand and struggled to 10th place in Australia, last hosted the Queen Sirikit Cup in 2007 at The Country Club in Laguna, finishing second to Korea in team play with Ardina placing third in individual competition.