Rianne Malixi advances to Round of 32 of US Women’s Amateur Championship
FILIPINA Rianne Malixi marched into the Round of 32 of the US Women’s Amateur Championship after nosing out American Annabelle Pancake in the Match Play opener, 2 and 1, Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The sixth-seeded Ms. Malixi won four holes from the 12th to 17th, including an eagle at the Southern Hill Country Club’s par-5 13th, to fend off her 59th-ranked rival with a hole to spare.
Ms. Pancake, one of 10 survivors of the 20-player playoff for tickets to the KO rounds, managed to draw level with the 17-year-old Ms. Malixi with a birdie at the 14th versus the latter’s par.
But the Pinay ace, the reigning US Girls’ Junior titlist, regained control by matching par at No. 15 and finally sealing the deal with an even score at No. 17 while Ms. Pancake dropped shots both times.
Ms. Malixi next faces 27th-ranked Anna Huang of Canada in a dispute for a spot in the Last-16. Ms. Huang advanced at the expense of her 38th-ranked Round of 64 opponent, Carla Escuder of Spain, 1-up. — Olmin Leyba
