Malixi moves to World No. 75

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi made a 20-spot jump to No. 75 following a losing stand in the US Girls’ Junior last week, with the young Filipina star seeking to further progress in the world ranking when she levels up and competes in the US Women’s Amateur in Los Angeles in two weeks’ time.

Malixi, 16, broke into the world top 100 at No. 95 with two third-place finishes and a couple of No. 4 efforts in the first half of the season but missed making past the Top 50 — or perhaps even Top 25 — with a heartbreaking one-hole setback to Kiara Romero in the 36-hole US Girls’ Junior final in Colorado last weekend.

Romero, who stood way down the world ranking at No. 139 before the US Girls’ Junior, leapfrogged to No. 78 with the 17-year-old American likewise hoping to cash in on her winning form as she and Malixi join a slew of top guns in the US Women’s Amateur slated August 7-13 at the Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles.

The ICTSI-backed Malixi is also set to lead the Philippine team’s campaign in the Asian Games in China in September and in the World Amateur Team Championships in Dubai in October.

Meanwhile, with Swede World No. 1 Ingrid Lindblad opting to skip the US Women’s Amateur, No. 2 and defending champion Saki Baba from Japan heads the talent-laden field that includes England’s Jess Baker, Canada’s Lauren Kim and Vanessa Zhang, Hong Kong’s Arianna Lau, Thai Thanana Kotchasanmannee, Taiwanese Hsin Chun Liao, and Americans Amari Avery, Jensen Castle, Gianna Clemente, Megha Ganne, Rachel Kuehn and Bailey Shoemaker.

Like in the US Girls’ Junior, the US Women's Amateur field will slug it out in the 36-hole stroke play qualifying with the Top 64 advancing to the match play phase.