Malixi’s turn to shine

MANILA, Philippines — Rianne Malixi’s star continues to shine bright in the women’s amateur golf scene.

Three weeks after her smashing triumph at the US Girls’ Junior meet, the 17-year-old Pinay ace swung her way to the crown in the tough US Women’s Amateur Championship Sunday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Malixi fulfilled her destiny as the first Pinay in 25 years to win the prestigious tournament by nosing out familiar rival Asterisk Talley of the US in the marathon finale, 3 and 2. Fil-Am Dorothy Delasin won in 1999.

The sixth-seeded Filipina gunned down three birdies starting from the 13th hole of the Southern Hills Country Club to go three-up against Talley and sealed the deal with a par on No. 16.

Malixi carved her name in the record books as only the second player in history to win the US Girls’ Junior and US Women’s Amateur in the same year after Korean Eun Jeong Seong in 2016.

“Just competing and feeling the pressure to win this tournament – it means so much to me. Being a two-time USGA champion, it’s huge for me,” said Malixi, who achieved the feat by repeating over Talley, whom she previously dominated, 8 and 7, in the tussle for juniors tiara last month in Tarzana, California.

Along with the Robert Cox Trophy, Malixi earned exemptions into major championships next year – the US Women’s Open in Wisconsin, AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews, Chevron Championship and Amundi Evian Championship –plus an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur with this achievement.

Malixi has been enjoying a banner year that started with her one-stroke victory in the Australian Master of the Amateurs Championship in Melbourne in January.

“Honestly, I just wanted to play good golf. That’s it,” Malixi said of her expectations for 2024.

“I wasn’t expecting to win the Australian Master of Amateurs in January and then win the U.S. Girls’ last month and then this one. I was so surprised. Even though I was playing good golf, I was just not expecting it.”

Malixi trailed Talley by one after the first 18 holes last Saturday but showed resilience and clutch performance in outlasting the 15-year-old American in a roller-coaster affair in the final 18 Sunday.

With five birdies from the second to eighth, Malixi climbed back from two down and wrested a three-hole lead. Talley would draw level by taking Nos. 9 to 11 but Malixi regained control with a birdie on the par-5 13th.

“That’s when I regained my momentum,” she said.