Malixi trails Talley halfway through US Women’s Amateur finals

MANILA, Philippines --The stage is set for a battle of dominance or redemption as Rianne Malixi and Asterisk Talley advanced to the championship match of the US Women’s Amateur at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both players secured their spots in the final by overcoming their semifinal opponents on Saturday (Sunday Manila time), setting up a rematch of their recent US Girls’ Junior Championship clash.

Malixi, who defeated Talley in record fashion, 8&7, in the US Girls’ Junior Championship just last month, showcased her resilience by turning a potential loss into a victory against Kendall Todd. 

Malixi birdied the last two holes to clinch a narrow 1-up win, keeping her championship hopes alive. Meanwhile, Talley maintained a 1-up lead after 14 holes before low medalist Maria Jose Marin conceded the match, propelling Talley into the final.

This historic showdown marks the first time that two players have faced each other in both the US Girls’ Junior and the US Women’s Amateur championship matches.

“We’ve been talking all week. On the putting green, it’s like, ‘Play well today. I hope to see you again,’” Talley said about her rematch with Malixi. “Earlier this morning on the green she said the same, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I hope to see you again in the final.’”

“It’s amazing. I love Asterisk,” Malixi responded. “She’s such a good player and a good person as well. It’s fun being matched up with her again.”

Due to weather concerns, the 36-hole final was split, with the first half played on Saturday afternoon. Talley managed to secure a 1-up lead heading into Sunday’s decisive stretch.

The final match began with Talley taking the first hole with a birdie, but Malixi quickly countered by winning three consecutive holes starting from No. 3. Talley fought back, reclaiming the lead after winning the next three holes. She extended her advantage to two holes with a par on No. 10 and went 3-up with another par on No. 12. 

However, Malixi’s resilience shone through as she eagled the par-5 13th to narrow the gap.

After trading pars on the 14th hole, Malixi won the next two holes with a par and a birdie, leveling the match once again. But the 17-year-old Filipina bogeyed the par-4 17th, allowing Talley to take command with a one-hole lead as they headed to the 18th.

“The first four holes I feel like really aren’t tie holes. I feel like they’re really like you could double it or you could birdie it,” Talley remarked about the challenging opening stretch at Southern Hills.

After a costly shank from the bunker on the 12th hole, Malixi quickly recovered with a brilliant 5-wood shot from 215 yards out on the 13th hole, sinking a 12-foot eagle putt. Malixi then won the 15th hole with a par, bringing the match within one with three holes to play. She later executed a perfect bunker shot on the par-5 16th, tying the match with a birdie.

However, the lead changed hands again on the 17th hole, where Talley’s two-putt for par was enough to regain the lead after Malixi missed the green with her approach and failed to save par.

On the final hole, Talley’s tee shot narrowly avoided a cart path, while Malixi’s approach found the back edge of the green. Talley, short and left of the putting surface, pitched onto the green, while Malixi’s aggressive putt ran off the green, leaving her with a tricky pitch shot back. Malixi executed the shot perfectly, getting up and down for bogey, but Talley’s solid putting preserved her 1-up lead at the break.