Blazing windup puts Malixi 1 shot off Misemer in Junior PGA Championships

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi sizzled in a brilliant backside finish, firing a stirring seven-under 65 to stalk a hot-starting Julia Misemer of the US after 18 holes of the Junior PGA Championships in Palos Park, Illinois Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

Priming up for next week’s US Women’s Amateur at Chamber’s Bay in Washington, Malixi fought back from four down with back-to-back birdies from No. 10 then closed out with a three-birdie binge to complete a 34-31 card at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club’s Ravines layout, which took a severe beating from 37 of the full-packed field of 156 chasing top honors in one of the US most prestigious junior championships.

Misemer led the assault with a 64, anchoring her strong start on a fiery frontside run of six birdies, including three straight from No. 1. Three more birdies in the first five holes at the back put her at nine-under but she failed to get up-and-down at the par-4 15th and missed a couple of chances in the last three holes and settled for an eight-under start.

But Malixi never ran out of hopes, producing one big shot after another she complemented with superb putting as she pounced on Misemer's late mishap and pulled within one by matching the American’s fiery start with her own version of a splendid finish.

Yuka Saso won this event in Hartford, Connecticut in 2019, rallying from behind to beat American Jenson Castle, who went on to win the 2021 US Women’s Amateur crown.

The ICTSI-backed Malixi, coming off a semifinal setback in the Women’s Western Amateur Match Play in Northfield, also in Illinois, two weeks ago, tied for fifth in last year’s edition of the annual event won by Anna Davis, also of the US, at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.

But her strong windup put her in the mix of things although she needed to shrug off a shaky start of two bogeys against a birdie in the first five holes to get her title bid going.

She hit back-to-back birdies from No. 6 and cashed in on the par-5 ninth to make the turn at 34, still four strokes behind Misemer, who birdied the first three holes, gained another stroke on No. 5 then picked up two more on Nos. 7 and 9 for a solid 30.

Misemer actually stretched her lead to five with three birdies in the five holes at the back against Malixi’s birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 but the latter gained on the former's rare miscue on No. 15 and on her scorching windup.

Angela Liu, also of the US, likewise put up a blazing start of five birdies, matched Misemer’s seven-under card with an eagle on No. 11 but bogeyed No. 13 to reel back. She, however, birdied the 17th to tie Malixi at second with a seven-under card.

Malixi’s flightmate Jaclyn LaHa also shone in mild conditions, finishing with a 66 while Japanese Nika Ito carded a 67 and six others, including Kati Li of the US and Thai Thanana Kotchasanmanee, turned in identical 68s at the par-72 layout.