Almost forced to withdraw, Rianne Malixi among early leaders in U.S. Women's Amateur defense

NBC Sports

5 hours ago

A dozen players have won consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur trophies, though the last to do so, Danielle Kang, won her second of back-to-back titles 14 years ago.
Rianne Malixi could add herself to that list Sunday at Bandon Dunes.
Malixi, the Philippines star who won not only last year's U.S. Women's Amateur at Southern Hills but also the U.S. Girls' Junior a few weeks prior, opened her title defense of the former with a 4-under 68 Monday on Bandon's namesake layout on the Oregon coast. Malixi's first-round score was matched by fellow co-leaders, Arizona's Julia Misemer and Texas' Cindy Hsu.
Malixi's defense almost was over before it started. She had been awaiting approval of her student visa – the 18-year-old will start her college career at Duke later this month – when a typhoon delayed an already lengthy process.
'Worst-case scenario, I am not going to play,' Malixi said. 'The best-case scenario is I might miss the practice rounds and head straight to the first round. Then, boom, I got a notification that my passport is ready and visa was ready.'
She picked up her documents six hours before her flight last Thursday from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon. She arrived at Bandon on Saturday afternoon and was able to sneak in nine holes before getting in a full 18 on Sunday.
Malixi is competing in her first amateur event since the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific in early March, when she made it through just five holes before withdrawing with what Malixi described as a back strain.
Later in March, Malixi withdrew from the Augusta National Women's Amateur on the eve of the first round after her ailing back limited her to about 40-50% in the practice round. She immediately shut it down for three weeks, traveling to Australia to see her physical therapist and also visiting a chiropractor.
'I was very mis-aligned, and hitting 400 balls a day made it worse, so I had to rest,' Malixi said.
She didn't compete again until the U.S. Women's Open in late May at Erin Hills, where she shot 79-78 to miss the cut. She also missed cuts in her other two starts this summer, at the JLPGA's Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (76-72) and Amundi Evian Championship (74-72).
It was fair to say that Monday's opening round by the third-ranked amateur was a pleasant surprise.
'To be honest, I haven't been feeling 100% lately,' Malixi said. 'I played a couple of majors, Evian and U.S. Women's Open, but I didn't play well. I am just happy enough to be playing 18 holes and 36 holes a couple of days ago. I haven't been shooting well, but today was eye-opening for me.'
Malixi didn't record a bogey while adding short birdie makes at Nos. 3, 9 and 13, plus a 25-foot birdie conversion at No. 17. Malixi estimated she hit three drives into fairway bunkers where she had to lay up on par-4s before wedging close with her third shots to set up stress-free pars.
The player whom Malixi beat in both USGA finals last year, 16-year-old Asterisk Talley, was among those at 3 under, along with Wake Forest grad and current Golf Channel on-course reporter Emilia Doran, Texas A&M incoming freshman Scarlett Schremmer, Auburn's Anna Davis and N.C. State grad Lauren Olivares, who in 2023 became the first player in NCAA women's golf history to shoot 60. Talley is fresh off a victory at the Girls Junior PGA Championship in Indiana.
Malixi's fellow Duke newcomer, Avery McCrery, was part of a large group at 2 under. Princeton's Catherine Rao also carded 70, though she turned in 6 under before coming in with a birdie-less 40 on the back nine.
World No. 1 amateur Kiara Romero shot 1 under, as did reigning U.S. Girls' Junior champ Aphrodite Deng.