Swede takes charge, but Malixi stays in hunt with 69

MANILA, Philippines -- Rianne Malixi kept pushing in pursuit of another major championship, uncorking a strong finishing kick after a weather delay to shoot a 69 and move to solo fifth after three rounds of the European Ladies Amateur Championship in Finland Friday.

Though the newly crowned US Girls’ Junior champion stayed four strokes off the new leader, Swede Louise Rydqvist, Malixi remains hopeful of putting up a more explosive finish to claim another scintillating victory.

It will, however, require a lot of effort and hard work, plus some breaks, to realize another championship as Rydqvist firmed up her title drive with a solid 67 in a low-scoring round marred by an hour-and-20-minute delay due to lightning.

Like Malixi, Rydqvist sizzled at resumption, birding Nos. 12 and 16 to complete a flawless 34-33 card for a 54-hole total of 206.

She grabbed a two-stroke lead over compatriot Meja Ortengren, who gunned down six birdies at the front to overcome a double bogey and a bogey for a 69 and a 208.

It was the same output put in by first-round leader Andrea Revuelta from Spain, who missed closing in on Rydqvist with a last-hole mishap that resulted in a second consecutive 71.

Carla Tejedo, also from Spain, charged back with a blistering four-birdie blast in the last six holes to fire a 67 and seize solo fourth at 209.

Having settled down from a shaky opening 73 with an impressive 68 on Thursday, Malixi birdied two of the first three holes, sparking hopes for an explosive start for the 17-year-old who came off a record 8&7 romp over Asterisk Talley in the US Girls’ Junior in California last week.

But a couple of missed opportunities stalled her charge and she reeled back with a bogey on the 11th. After the lull, she birdied the 13th and finished strong with another birdie to hack out a 35-34 card for a 210.

Malixi ranks third in the most pars or better standing with 50, next to Ines Archer and Rydqvist with similar 51s. She also shares ninth place in the par-3 average list, ties for 16th in the par-4 average standings, and is at joint 24th in the most birdies roster.

Malixi will slug it out with England’s Nellie Ong in the final round.