Late struggles cost Malixi the lead, slips 4 shots back after 73

MANILA, Philippines — As if on cue, Rianne Malixi surged to the top with an impressive three-under card after 10 holes, showcasing the poise and precision that have made her one of the rising stars in golf. 

But a late-round stumble saw the defending champion slip to joint third with a 73 after 54 holes at the Australian Master of the Amateurs on Sunday at the Southern Golf Club in Braeside.

Local standout Ella Scaysbrook, in contrast, birdied the last two holes to fire a two-under 71, storming ahead at eight-under 211, two strokes over Korean Hyojin Yang, who assembled a 213 also after a 71 hindered by a last-hole mishap.

The day started with promise for Malixi, who wrested the lead from halfway leader Raegan Denton with a brilliant burst of three birdies in four holes from Nos. 7 to 10. At that point, she held a commanding six-under total, appearing poised to dominate the challenging par-73 layout.

But the back nine told a different story.

Three bogeys in a four-hole stretch from Nos. 12 to 15 derailed Malixi’s momentum. The young Filipina struggled to recover as the course, which had been generous over the first two days, pushed back against the field.

Despite the setbacks, however, Malixi held on, parring her last three holes to close with an even-par 73 (34-39) for a three-day total of 215, leaving her tied for third with local standout Sarah Hammett, who also matched par 73, but four strokes behind Scaysbrook.

The turning point came on the back nine, where Malixi’s sharp iron play and steady putting wavered under pressure. After a strong birdie-par start, her approach shots missed their targets on Nos. 12 and 13, leading to back-to-back bogeys. A missed up-and-down on No. 15 added another stroke to her tally, forcing her to dig deep just to stay in the hunt.

Still, Malixi’s opening stretch showcased her ability to deliver under pressure. Ranked world No. 3 and the highest-ranked player in the 84-player field, she started with two birdies offset by two bogeys over the first six holes. A brilliant run of birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 saw her make the turn at 34, setting the stage for what could have been a runaway round.

At the top of the leaderboard, Scaysbrook faced challenges but showed resilience, making the turn at one-over 37. She rebounded with consecutive birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 and recovered from a setback on the 14th with two clutch birdies in the closing holes, setting the stage for what could be a decisive final-round push.

Jazy Roberts, another Australian, carded a brilliant 70 with clutch birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to move into solo fifth at 216.

Meanwhile, Denton, who had dazzled with a 69 on Saturday to take the halfway lead, succumbed to the pressure early. A disastrous start saw her double-bogey the first hole and drop strokes on Nos. 3 and 6. Despite a birdie on No. 8, she limped home with a 40 on the back nine for a 79, tumbling to joint eighth at 218.

With one round remaining, Malixi remains in contention for a repeat victory, but she will need to summon her utmost skill, resilience and composure to close the four-stroke gap behind Scaysbrook in a championship that has tested the players' limits in every aspect.