Rianne Malixi’s hopes were dashed as Kiara Romero managed a narrow 1-up victory, snatching the championship title in the US Girls’ Junior at the Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue course in Colorado. Malixi had displayed remarkable resilience in the morning session, but she lost her rhythm after the break.

In a thrilling finale that extended to all 36 holes, Malixi initially took charge, securing a two-hole lead twice, with the last one coming on the 16th hole due to a mistake by Romero. Despite bogeying the 18th, she finished the first 18 holes with a one-hole advantage.

However, things took a turn for Malixi as she struggled following the break, losing a stroke on the 22nd hole and allowing Romero to level the match. On the 26th hole, another mishap led her to trail in the match for the first time. Malixi managed to draw level on the 28th hole, only to fall behind again after a bogey on the 31st hole, which she had parred during the morning battle.

For 17-year-old Romero, an incoming freshman at the University of Oregon and with Filipino heritage, the victory was sweet. She held her composure in the crucial moments and matched Malixi’s pars in the final five holes, securing her place as the champion and earning an exemption to the upcoming US Women’s Open and an invitation to the 2024 Augusta Women’s Amateur.

It was a heartbreaking moment for Malixi, who had hoped to cap off an extraordinary week marked by impressive wins, including an impressive victory over Audrey Rischer in the Round of 16. Despite her gutsy performance throughout the tournament, she fell short of clinching the ultimate prize and adding a crowning glory to her already stellar amateur career.

The battle between Malixi and Romero was intense, with both players displaying their skills and determination. In the end, it was Romero who emerged victorious, denying Malixi’s attempt to match Princess Superal’s record win in the 2014 edition of the annual event in Arizona. (ai/mnm)

Rianne Malixi’s path to a historic first major junior championship and a chance to become the second Filipina to win a USGA-sanctioned event seems increasingly promising.

In a thrilling display of skill, she secured two victories with contrasting styles, propelling her to the finals of the US Girls’ Junior in Colorado on Friday.

During the morning quarterfinals, Malixi held off a fierce late charge from Farah O’Keefe, ultimately clinching a 1-up victory after O’Keefe bogeyed the 18th hole of the Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue course.

In the afternoon semifinals, Malixi dominated Leigh Chien, turning an early one-hole deficit into a resounding 4&2 triumph with an impressive four-hole romp starting from the fifth hole.

In the upcoming marathon 36-hole final, Malixi will face off against the third seed, Kiara Romero, who displayed remarkable resilience by rallying from a one-hole deficit and making three birdies in the last four holes to secure a 2-up win over last year’s finalist, Gianna Clemente, in the other semifinal battle. Earlier, Romero dispatched Canada’s Lauren Kim with a 3&1 victory.

The final promises to be an all-Pinay affair, as Romero’s mother hails from Quezon City, Philippines, and her father is American.

For Malixi, this opportunity means a great deal, especially considering her previous experiences coming close to major junior titles but falling short. With a solid track record in both local and international competitions, including winning two titles on the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) and four pro titles on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, she is determined to finally secure a dream championship.

Recovering and recharging overnight will be crucial for both finalists, given the anticipated grueling day-long final that may very well go down to the last shot or putt, and could even extend to additional holes, reminiscent of a past Filipina victory in a USGA event.

By reaching the finals, both Malixi and Romero have secured exemptions to next month’s US Women’s Amateur, with Malixi having already clinched a spot during a qualifier in Ojai, California.

Malixi’s impressive journey to the finals included defeating Kaitlyn Schroeder and Audrey Rischer in earlier rounds, and ultimately outplaying O’Keefe in the quarterfinals.

As the stage is set for this historic Filipina rivalry to unfold, fans eagerly await the thrilling 36-hole final to witness which young golfer will etch her name into the record books and claim the US Girls’ Junior championship.

(ai/mnm)