Philippine Junior Amateur Open champions Aidric Chan and Rianne Malixi opened their campaign on a bright note on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in the IMG Academy Junior World Championships at the Torres Pines Golf Club in California.
The Southeast Asian Games-bound Chan carded an even-par 72 to land at tied No. 26 in the boys’ 15-18 along with 14 others at the start of the four-day competition.
Chan bogeyed early on No. 2 before hitting two birdies at Nos. 5 and 9. He failed to sustain his game with back-to-back bogey mishap at Nos. 14 and 15 before closing out with another birdie at 17 to finish with even-par.
Malixi, on the other hand, scored an eagle-aided one-under 71 in the girls’ 11-12 division to settle at tied No. 7 after Round 1.
Malixi had her break, spiking an eagle at No. 3 before losing out control with two bogeys at the front nine plus an opening double bogey at the back.
She recovered late by posting two birdies at 14th and 16th to finish at shared seventh with Maria Jose Maria Marin Negrete from Columbia.
SEA Games-bound players Sean Jean Ramos and Luigi Paolo Wong posted a 10-over par 154 to land at tied 14th in the boys’ 15-18 team category.
They were 15 strokes behind the leader Chase Sienkiewicz and Andi Xu of United States, who registered a five-under 139.
Maria Rafela Singson and Lorenz Kayla Nocum, meanwhile, sizzled with 12-over 156 for tied 12th spot in the girls’ 15-18 team competition.
Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines 