Filipino Rianne Malixi avenges 2023 loss with resounding 8-and-7 victory in U.S. Girls' Junior

It is not often that a junior golfer has a second chance to win a national championship, given that those who reach a final often age out of the junior ranks. But Filipino Rianne Malixi gave herself an opportunity and responded with a resounding victory in the U.S. Girls' Junior on Saturday.

Malixi, 17, a runner-up in 2023, staked herself to a 6-up lead through 18 holes, and went on to rout Asterisk Talley, 15, of Chowchilla, Calif., 8 and 7, in the 36-hole final at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif.

A year ago, Malixi, 19th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, took champion Kiara Romero to the 36th hole, where Romero saved par from over the green to secure a 1-up victory. Romero will soon be a sophomore at Oregon. Malixi, meanwhile, became the first player to reach consecutive Girls' Junior finals since Eun Jeong-Seong did so in 2015 and ’16, winning back to back.

"I know it was such a heartbreak last year because I was so close," Malixi said."After that U.S. trip I just got some practice, kept on training. I spent a lot of hours training in Manila. I sacrificed a lot of my social time, school time. Not only me, but my dad also sacrificed a lot of time for me just to accompany me, train. I'm just really grateful for everything.

"It's huge I know. It's hard for me to comprehend right now because everything just came in so quickly. I know being USGA champion means a lot, it means huge here."

Malixi, who has verbally committed to Duke University in 2025, won five straight holes in the morning 18, the 10th through 14th holes, with four birdies and a par to open a 7-up lead that Talley cut to 6-down on the 15th hole. Malixi, meanwhile, took a 6-up lead into the afternoon 18, halved the 19th hole with birdies, then won the 20th hole with another birdie to regain a 7-up lead.

Talley, 57th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking with a USGA championship on her resume, seemed unwilling to succumb quietly, winning the next two holes. Talley and partner Sarah Lim won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball earlier this year.

But her rally was short-lived. Malixi won the 25th, 27th and 29th holes to secure the victory to become the second Filipino to win a U.S. national championship. Yuka Saso, who was born in the Philippines to a Filipino mother and a Japanese father, is a two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion.

“I'm proud of myself for how I played this week, but I made too many mistakes out there today,” Talley said. “I tried to turn it around on the back but I was too far away and I couldn't reach her. She was playing too well. She played her butt off today and I couldn't do anything.”