Malixi paces US Amateurs

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ Rianne Malixi sizzled amid scorching conditions to seize pole position at the start of the 36-hole stroke-play eliminations of the US Women’s Amateur in Tulsa, Oklahoma Monday.

Maintaining the fiery form that netted her the US Girls’ Junior crown three weeks ago, Malixi fired an eagle-spiked four-under 67 to go up by one against American Kelly Xu (68) in the initial salvo at the Southern Hills Country Club.

Malixi, 17, bounced back strongly from a double bogey on the second hole, racking up birdies in the next three holes to get her game going.

She then cancelled a bogey on No. 10 with a searing birdie-eagle-birdie binge from the 15th for a 34-33 opening card and the front seat versus NCAA champ Xu, Frenchwoman Adela Cernousek (69), American US Girls’ Junior runner-up Asterisk Talley (69), Colombian Maria Jose Marin (69) and defending champion Megan Schofill (70).