Malixi brings winning momentum to Hanwha Classic

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi is poised to elevate her game at the Hanwha Classic 2024, set to unfold Thursday, August 22, at the Jade Palace Golf Club in Gangwon-do, South Korea.

After clinching back-to-back titles at the US Girls’ Junior and the US Women’s Amateur, Malixi is brimming with confidence as she tees off on No. 1 at 11:30 a.m. alongside South Korean pros Sung Yujin and Lee Hyosong.

The Hanwha Classic, boasting a prize fund of 1.7 billion KRW, marks the 20th leg of the lucrative Korean LPGA circuit.

Malixi’s debut in the KLPGA last June saw her finish tied for fifth in the Korea Women’s Open, where she also earned the low amateur honors, outshining top local players, including World No. 3 Kim Minsol.

That fueled her confidence in the two major US amateur championships. At the US Girls’ Junior, Malixi dominated with an 8&7 victory over American Asterisk Talley, setting a record for the largest winning margin in the championship’s history.

Just 22 days later, she bested Talley again at the US Women’s Amateur, winning 3&2 after a spectacular finish that included four consecutive birdies in the final stretch, becoming only the second player to win the two championships in the same year.

Despite a visa issue that prevented her from participating in the AIG Women’s Open, the LPGA Tour's fifth and final major, also slated to fire off Thursday in Scotland, Malixi remains focused on her second KLPGA campaign.

The Hanwha Classic features the top five players in the current KLPGA rankings, including No. 1 Lee Ye-won, Park Hyun-Kyung, Park Ji-Young, Yoon Ina, and Hwang Yu-min.

Unfazed by the credentials of the Hanwha Classic cast, Malixi, now the World No. 5, is eager to showcase her talent and take on this formidable field, promising another remarkable performance for the rising Filipina star.