Rianne Malixi’s intention to go all way to the title that eluded her last year became very clear on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old Filipina, hands down the country’s finest young golfer, slammed American Annie Jin, 6-and-5, to barge into the final 32 of the US Girls Junior Golf Championships at El Caballero Country Club in Southern California.
“I just hit a lot of good shots today, and putts just dropped. I’ve just been very consistent, and I haven’t been feeling much pressure. I was just focusing on one shot at a time, playing the best way I know how,” said Malixi who was finalist in the meet last year.
This year, though, she’s coming off more prepared and confident.
“So far, she is physically and mentally prepared from the training we had here,” said her father, Roy.
“From my observation she became much tougher and her putting much better which is very crucial in match play.”
Malixi, the second seed here, will face next another New Yorker Kennedy Swedick, at 8:12 a.m. Thursday (around midnight of Thursday Manila time).
The incoming Duke University athlete played the equivalent of six-under-par over 13 holes.
The only times she lost in the meet’s match play phase were against 2021 champion and now World No. 6 Rose Zhang; and last year’s champion Kiara Romero.
Stroke-play medalist and top seed Kinsley Ni, 16, of the People’s Republic of China, also advanced with a 3-and-2 triumph over No. 64 seed Cathy Zhang, the last survivor from the 8-for-3 playoff that determined the final match-play spots.
Match play continues on Thursday with the Round of 32 and Round of 16, beginning at 7 a.m. (10 p.m. in Manila). The Round-of-16 matches are scheduled to begin in the afternoon of the same day.