Healthy, in-form Malixi targets history as US Women's Amateur unfolds
MANILA, Philippines — Armed with a fully healed body, renewed confidence, and a game sharpened by a stellar freshman season at Duke University, Rianne Malixi heads into the 2026 US Women’s Amateur as one of the tournament's leading contenders, determined to prove that her remarkable rise is only beginning.
After seeing a lower-back injury derail much of her 2025 campaign, the Filipina standout returns to the USGA's premier amateur championship healthier, stronger and mentally tougher — qualities that could propel her to a second US Women's Amateur crown when the week-long championship begins Tuesday at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
Malixi captured this championship in 2024 to complete one of the greatest seasons by a Filipina amateur, adding the prestigious title to her US Girls' Junior victory and firmly establishing herself among the world's elite young golfers.
Her title defense last year, however, never truly gathered momentum. A lingering lower back injury forced her to withdraw from two major amateur events before she returned for the championship at Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Despite earning co-medalist honors in stroke play, she bowed out in the opening round of match play after a loss to Hong Kong's Arianna Lau.
The experience became a lesson in patience as much as perseverance.
"It was holding me back. I didn't want to feel pain. I was scared of getting hurt, like if I pushed myself too hard, then I might feel a pop again," Malixi told Golf Channel in a 2026 interview.
Those concerns now appear to be behind her.
The 19-year-old has looked every bit the player who dominated amateur golf two years ago, producing one of the finest freshman seasons in Duke University history. She posted a school-record 70.60 scoring average, captured the Sea Best Intercollegiate title, earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and was named ACC Freshman of the Year.
She also finished an impressive third in this year's NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship, proving she can contend consistently against the deepest collegiate fields in the US.
That body of work makes Malixi one of the favorites this week — not simply because of her past success in USGA championships but because her game appears more complete than ever. Her length off the tee, precise iron play, deft touch around the greens and growing maturity under pressure give her all the tools needed to navigate both the demanding stroke-play qualifier and the unforgiving match-play bracket.
She is expected to comfortably advance from the 36-hole stroke-play qualifying, although golf offers no guarantees, particularly at The Honors Course, a demanding layout known for its rolling terrain, strategic bunkering and lightning-fast elevated greens that test both shot-making and mental resilience.
Still, Malixi is widely tipped not only to reach match play but also to challenge once again for medalist honors.
She begins her campaign at 1:12 a.m., teeing off from No. 10 alongside Canadians Clairey Lin and Aphrodite Deng.
Another championship run would place Malixi in rarefied company.
A victory would make her only the second player, after Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner, to win both the US Girls' Junior and multiple US Women's Amateur titles. Carner captured the US Girls' Junior crown in 1956 before winning five US Women's Amateur championships and later adding two US Women's Open titles as a professional.
Korean Eun Jeong Seong remains the only player in USGA history to win multiple US Girls' Junior championships and a US Women's Amateur, having claimed the junior title in 2015 and 2016 before winning the Women's Amateur in 2016.
Standing in Malixi's way is another exceptionally strong field featuring many of the world's best amateurs.
Among the leading challengers are Asterisk Talley, whom Malixi defeated in both of her USGA championship victories, Jasmine Koo, Katie Li, Soomin Oh, Anna Davis, Bailey Shoemaker, Jeonghyun Lee, Jazy Roberts and Lau.
Also expected to contend are Rachel Heck, Farah O'Keefe, Grace Carter, Hanley Long, Kaitlyn Schroeder, Sue Wooster, Isla McDonald-O'Brien, Avery Weed, Anna Fang, Jude Lee and Amelie Zalsman.
Yet Malixi arrives unfazed by the depth of the competition.
With her health restored, confidence renewed and game operating at an elite level, she has every reason to believe another USGA trophy is within reach. More than a redemption bid, this week's championship represents an opportunity to reaffirm her status as one of amateur golf's brightest stars and continue the Philippines' remarkable run on the international sporting stage.
Her pursuit also comes on the heels of another historic Filipino sporting achievement after Alex Eala captured the Mubadala DC Open title in Washington, becoming the first Filipino to win a WTA Tour singles championship. Malixi now hopes to author another milestone performance and add another chapter to what is shaping up to be a golden era for Philippine sports.
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