Malixi makes history, wins US Girls’ Junior in record fashion

MANILA, Philippines – A year after a heartbreaking setback in the US Girls’ Junior Finals in Colorado, Rianne Malixi came back with a vengeance, winning the 2024 edition in record fashion by blasting California’s Asterisk Talley, 8&7, marking the largest winning margin in championship history.

"It's huge, I know," said Malixi with a wide smile. "It's hard for me to comprehend right now because everything just came in so quickly. I know being a USGA champion means a lot. Being able to do that is a huge honor for me, and I'm very grateful."

"That's crazy! I wasn't even aware. My putter was just so hot all day. Credit to my putter!"

Rianne Malixi on making 14 birdies in 29 holes in the U.S. Girls' Junior championship match. pic.twitter.com/vkJ77EgYcH

— USGA (@USGA) July 20, 2024

The 17-year-old rising star surpassed Princess Superal's 2014 feat when Superal edged Mexico’s Marijosse Navarro on the 37th hole in Arizona to become the first Philippine-born player to win a USGA championship.

However, Malixi's triumph proved even more impactful. On Saturday (Sunday Manila time), she delivered arguably one of the best performances of her career, shooting 14 birdies without a bogey in 29 holes of golf in the scheduled 36-hole finale.

In the morning 18 holes, Malixi sizzled in sweltering heat and fired the equivalent of a 9-under 62, with the usual match-play concessions. One of those birdies came on the par-5 No. 1, where she made 4 eight times in 10 visits.

With a commanding 6-up lead into the break, it was practically cruise control for Malixi, who birdied the 20th hole to extend her lead. Though Talley took the next two holes with emphatic birdies, Malixi regained a 6-shot lead with a birdie on the par-5 seventh.

Another birdie on the 27th put her beyond reach, and Malixi sealed the record victory as Talley bogeyed the 11th (No. 29), giving the Filipina ace an unassailable 8-up lead.

Beyond the honors, the lopsided triumph erased the stigma of a one-hole loss to Kiara Romero last year.

“It was such a heartbreak last year because I was so close. After that US trip, I just practiced a lot. I spent a lot of hours training in Manila. I sacrificed a lot of my social time, school time. Not only me, but my dad (Roy) also sacrificed a lot of time for me just to accompany me. My family had their share [of sacrifices], and I'm just really grateful for everything.”

Focused on payback, Malixi made numerous sacrifices, including giving up some social activities to reach peak form. She manifested her dedication by winning her first tournament of the season in Australia.

After experiencing a mix of triumphs and setbacks, Malixi arrived in Southern California with the determination and drive of a dynamo. Her confidence was palpable as she secured the No. 2 seed in stroke play, tying for second place with Jasmine Koo.

Though they stood four strokes behind medalist Kinsley Ni, Malixi’s focus never wavered. She rammed past rivals one after another, including a 19-hole thriller in the Round of 32 over Kennedy Swedick and an impressive 3-and-2 semifinal triumph on Friday over Koo, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Then, in Saturday’s 36-hole finale against 15-year-old Talley, Malixi played as if her name was already engraved on the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy, undeterred by the sweltering conditions

Her victory over the 2024 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball champion eclipsed Nancy Lopez (1974) and Michelle McGann’s (1987) 7&5 routs back when the final was contested over 18 holes (the format switched in 2006).

Malixi, who has committed to play at Duke University in the fall of 2025, thus joined Superal as the only US Girls’ Junior champions from the Philippines. Yuka Saso, in 2021, won the US Women’s Open representing the Philippines, the country of her mother. She captured the title again last June representing Japan, the country of her father.

The victory also netted Malixi a spot in the 2025 US Women’s Open, where she hopes to play a practice round with Saso and current World No. 1 Nelly Korda.

But Malixi, who is expected to improve her No. 19 ranking in world amateur, wasn’t going to rest on her laurels, especially given that Talley edged her for the title in this year’s Junior Invitational at Sage Valley last March.

Her triumph was so emphatic that she only trailed for three holes the entire week, in her semifinal win over Koo. She also only needed 107 holes to win the title, the second fewest in the 36-hole championship-match era (Eun Jeon Seong needed 104 in 2015) that began in 2006.

Playing tournaments in 11 different countries over the past two years has toughened the Filipina prodigy. Earlier this year, she finished fifth in the Korean Women’s Open. She also competed in the Women’s Amateur Championship in Ireland.

Now, there will be a lot more travel in her future, including on Sunday when she departs for Finland to compete in the European Ladies Amateur.

In addition to her USGA championships, she has earned a sponsor’s exemption into the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship, which will be held at El Caballero Country Club. An invitation to the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur also looms large on her horizon.