Malixi edges closer to consecutive USGA titles with gritty 2&1 win

MANILA, Philippines -- Rianne Malixi showcased remarkable composure and resilience, securing a tense 2&1 victory over Catherine Rao to advance to the semifinals of the US Women’s Amateur at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma Friday (Saturday Manila time).

The sixth-seed Malixi, alongside three other championship debutants, now stands just two matches away from a historic title.

Despite struggling to find her best form early in the match, Malixi turned things around with a decisive three-hole run starting from the seventh, and closed out the contest with a par-birdie-par combination from No. 15.

In the other match in the lower half of the draw, No. 18 Kendall Todd endured a marathon clash with No. 10 Kelly Xu, needing two extra holes to secure her spot in the semifinals with a par.

Todd will face the in-form Malixi in what promises to be an intense showdown.

Fifth-seed Asterisk Talley had to grind out a 1-up win against French Adela Cernousek, with their match extending to the 18th hole in the upper half of the draw.

Low medalist Maria Jose Marin, who has been in fine form throughout the tournament, battled through 21 grueling holes to edge out No. 9 Anna Davis with a birdie, setting up a Last 4 clash with Talley.

The upcoming encounter will be particularly interesting as Malixi famously defeated Talley in record fashion in the US Girls’ Junior final last month.

Reflecting on her quarterfinal victory, Malixi admitted it was a challenging match.

“That match was really hard-fought. Neither of us had our A-game today,” she said. “But I stayed patient, kept grinding, and waited for the putts to drop. They didn’t, but I just kept pushing through,” she said.

The strategy paid off as Malixi held her nerve, advancing to the semifinals where she will face Todd, who herself demonstrated resilience by clawing back from two holes down against Xu. Todd’s match was a test of endurance, ultimately winning on the 20th hole as Xu faltered with a bogey.

Due to expected inclement weather, the semifinal matches have been scheduled to start early on Saturday morning, with Marin and Talley teeing off at 8:30 a.m. ET, followed by Malixi and Todd at 8:45 a.m. The 36-hole final is set to begin Saturday afternoon and conclude on Sunday morning.

For Malixi, the journey to the title has been arduous but potentially historic. After finishing sixth in the 36-hole stroke play eliminations, she dispatched her opponents in varying styles through the Round of 64, Round of 32, and Round of 16. Now, she stands on the brink of an incredible achievement – winning consecutive USGA titles.