Malixi cruises to last 32 of US Girls’ Junior Championship
SECOND seed Rianne Malixi of the Philippines walloped No. 63 Annie Jin, 6 and 5, to barge into the Round of 32 of the 75th US Girls’ Junior Championship Wednesday in Tarzana, California.
Ms. Malixi, the runner up last year, won five of the first seven holes to set the tone for the smashing victory against American Ms. Jin that propelled her to the next round against No. 31 Kennedy Swedick, also of the US.
Ms. Swedick defeated No. 34 Remi Bacardi with a birdie in the 22nd hole to earn a crack at the Filipina ace.
“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 Ms. Malixi, who finished tied for second after the two-day stroke play.
The 17-year-old Ms. Malixi played the equivalent of six-under par golf over 13 holes at the El Caballero Country Club to hurdle the challenge of Ms. Jin, one of the three survivors from the eight-player playoff for Match Play spots.
Ms. Malixi started things off by taking the second hole with a birdie then racked up four straight victories from No. 4 to create separation. She then sealed the deal by outplaying her American opponent on Nos. 11 and 13. — Olmin Leyba
