Rianne Malixi battled brutal conditions at Erin Hills, opening her US Women’s Open debut with a 7-over 79 on Thursday. Not the start she hoped for — but definitely a taste of what life on the LPGA Tour is all about.

Paired with major champions Yuka Saso, the defending US Women’s Open titleholder, and former world No. 1 Lydia Ko, 18-year-old amateur Rianne Malixi got off to a dream start, rolling in a birdie on her opening hole to briefly share the early lead.

But that promising start was short-lived.

Malixi struggled with her approach shots throughout the round, hitting just 9 of 18 greens in regulation. She dropped a shot on the 12th and ran into more trouble on the back nine, carding double bogeys on the 15th and 17th. A missed five-foot birdie attempt on the 18th summed up her frustrating day.

On the front nine, bogeys on the 2nd, 7th and 9th holes pushed her to a 7-over-par 79.

It was a tough initiation at Erin Hills, but valuable experience for the rising star as she continues her journey toward the professional ranks.

Malixi is set to attend Duke University this September.

Saso, who won her first US Women’s Open title as a Filipina, made only one birdie against three bogeys for a 74.

Ko, on the other hand, had two birdies against three bogeys for a 75.

Dottie Ardina, the other Filipina in the field, opened with an 81, hitting only 5 of 18 greens.

Meanwhile, former champion Kim A-lim fired six birdies in a four-under-par 68 to headline a group of six players tied atop a log-jammed leaderboard.

Fellow South Korean Im Jin-hee, Japan’s Rio Takeda, Americans Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin and Spanish LPGA rookie Julia Lopez Ramirez shared the lead, one stroke in front of a group of five players tied on three-under-par 69.

Another seven players were two adrift, but Kim said she wouldn’t expend her energy worrying about who might be in striking distance.

“Honestly, I’m not thinking about (the) leaderboard because my job is process, not result,” said Kim, who won the 2020 US Open in her major championship debut.

“Next three days, I play the same thing as today: focus on my line, hit it. That’s all.”

Plenty of marquee names were unable to join the 33 players to shoot under par.a

World number one Nelly Korda was playing catchup after a bogey at the third, finally getting to even par 72 with a birdie at the par-five 18th.

World number two Jeeno Thitikul of Tailand opened with a three-over 75 while third-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand — whose resume includes three major titles but no US Open — posted a one-over 73.

While Korda struggled to get things going, Kim opened with back-to-back birdies at the 10th and 11th.

After a bogey at the 12th she added birdies at 16 and 17 and took the solo lead at five-under with birdie bombs at the first and third before giving a stroke back at the sixth.

Takeda had three birdies and one bogey on each side while Im opened with nine straight pars and had all four of her birdies in a five-hole span from the 10th through the 14th.

Lopez Ramirez was also bogey-free, an impressive performance for the 22-year-old who came through qualifying to book her first US Open appearance.

Lopez Ramirez and Yin were among the afternoon starters, Yin shaking off an early bogey with five birdies — including three in a row at eight, nine and 10 — before a setback at 17.

In the right rough off the tee she came up short of the green, then saw her third shot spin off into a collection area, from where she managed to salvage a bogey.

“This is what this course can do,” said Yin, who regained a share of the lead with a birdie at the last. WITH AFP