Filipina amateur golfer Rianne Malixi. Pilipinas Golf/Handout.
Filipina golfer Rianne Malixi bogeyed three of the last seven holes and finished with 33 points to end up in 13th place in the Mizuho Americans Open-AJGA Juniors in New Jersey on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
American Yana Wilson emerged triumphant in the event that ran concurrently with the LPGA competition won by Rose Zhang in historic fashion.
Malixi impressed with her long game, even outdriving pros Swede Anna Nordqvist and Aussie Grace Kim on some holes. But she missed a number of greens and muffed birdie chances while flubbing a five-foot par-saving putt on the 18th that typified her backside struggle at the Liberty National course.
The ICTSI-backed shotmaker finished where she started after 54 holes, at 13th place, with a 133 total (300 in stroke play). She was 14 points off Wilson, who scrambled for a 71 worth 37 points to beat erstwhile co-leader Anna Davis by three on a 147 aggregate.
"Not quite the finish we wanted. Being a pro is very difficult but scoring-wise, Rianne did better than three of the four pros whom she had played with," said Malixi's mom, Michelle.
The 16-year-old Malixi "didn't play her best" but still put up a fight against very tough winds on the final day of the competition, said her mother.
"She had some really good shots, outdriving the pros quite a number of times," the elder Malixi added.
Yuka Saso, on the other hand, carded a 70 and finished tied at seventh at 282 with South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and Leona Maguire of Ireland after a 64 and 67, respectively.