Malixi upbeat as AJGA T-of-C unwraps

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi sets out for the Rolex Tournament of Champions with an eye at a top podium finish, psyched up by a couple of forays in pro tournaments she hopes would help fuel her drive in the event firing off Monday at the PGA National Resort & Spa's Champion course in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.

Paired with Lauren Kim of Canada and Californian Catherine Rao, the 14-year-old rising Filipina star is spared of an early clash with the tournament's big guns, led by Megha Ganne and Anne Davis, the top two players in the current Rolex AJGA rankings.

Malixi gained a spot in the 71-player field largely behind her wire-to-wire victory in her first American Junior Golf Association tournament — the Se Ri Pak Desert Junior last June. She toughened up for this week’s competition by competing in a series of top-level tournaments, including pro events where she reached the quarters of the recent PXG Women’s Match Play of the Women’s All-Pro Tour. She also emerged as the top Filipina finisher in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific at joint 23rd in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago.

Malixi, the 2020 national stroke play champion back home, also made it to the Round of 32 of the US Girls' Junior and reached the Last 16 of the US Women's Amateur.

She slugs it out with Kim and Rao at 9:20 a.m. at the frontside of the 6,399-yard Champion layout, confident of putting up a strong start in the 72-hole championship tipped to be disputed by the likes of Ganne and Davis, who forged an early clash at 8:20 a.m., also on No. 1 with No. 4 Bailey Shoemaker.

No. 6 Alexa Pano, meanwhile, drew No. 7 Michelle Liu and No. 9 Gianna Clemente at 8:30 a.m. while No. 10 Katie Li booked in the 8:40 a.m. group with Kiara Romero and Jacklyn LaHa.