Malixi begins chase for 2nd USGA diadem

MANILA, Philippines -- Rianne Malixi kicks off her drive for a second straight USGA Championship, joining a stellar cast of players in the US Women’s Amateur, which tees off on Monday, August 5, at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The 17-year-old Filipina is set to compete in the 36-hole stroke play eliminations, aiming for a spot in the knockout phase starting Wednesday. Malixi seeks to surpass her performance from last year when she reached the Last 32 phase, ultimately yielding to American Bailey Shoemaker.

Malixi has shown remarkable improvement over the past 12 months, highlighted by her victories at the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January and the US Girls’ Junior in California last month.

In becoming the second Filipina to win the US Girls’ Junior after Princess Superal in 2014, Malixi shot 14 birdies with no bogeys over 29 holes and dispatched Asterisk Talley, 8&7, marking the largest winning margin in championship history.

Currently ranked No. 10 in the world amateur rankings, Malixi is expected to play with utmost confidence as she tees off at 1:49 p.m. on No. 1 alongside world No. 4 Zoe Campos and No. 8 Rachel Kuehn, both from the US.

Last year’s winner Megan Schofill headlines the stellar cast in the 124th staging of the prestigious championship, which features 13 of the top 25 players in the world amateur rankings.

Notable competitors include No. 5 Jasmine Koo, No. 6 Catherine Park, No. 9 Adela Cernousek, No. 16 Anna Davis, No. 17 Amanda Sambach, No. 18 Kiara Romero, No. 21 Gianna Clemente, No. 22 Farah O’Keefe, and No. 25 Carla Escuder.