Malixi inches closer to US Amateurs crown

MANILA, Philippines — Rianne Malixi of the Philippines trailed old rival Asterisk Talley of the US by one after the first 18 holes of the US Women’s Amateur finals Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Malixi and Talley engaged in a back and forth in the initial salvo of the 36-hole finale at the Southern Hills Country Club, which was split over two days due to inclement weather forecast in the area early Sunday.

The two went through three lead changes and three deadlocks before Talley grabbed the upperhand with a birdie on No. 17 and maintained it with a par on the 18th.

The 17-year-old Malixi will seek to turn it around in the final 18 holes Sunday afternoon and repeat against Talley, 15, the same player she defeated last month en route to the US Girls’ Junior crown, 8 and 7.

If successful, the Pinay ace will join Eun Jeong Seong as the only players in history to win the US Girl’s Junior and the US Women’s Amateur in the same year. Eun achieved the feat in 2016.

Malixi and Talley arranged a title rematch by beating their respective semifinal opponents, Kendall Todd of the US and top seed Maria Jose Marin Saturday morning.