Malixi eyes redemption at Augusta National Women's Amateur

MANILA, Philippines -- With two major victories last year and multiple top-five finishes, Rianne Malixi enters the Augusta National Women’s Amateur unfolding on April 2 as a legitimate title contender.

Competing at Augusta National – the revered home of the Masters – she faces an elite field featuring the world's top amateurs and a wave of promising first-timers eager to make their mark.

Unlike last year, when she missed the cut in her debut, Malixi is coming into the tournament with a stronger mindset, bolstered by her victories at the US Girls’ Junior and the US Women’s Amateur. The 18-year-old Filipina was among the favorites at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Vietnam last month but withdrew early due to a back sprain.

Now fully recovered, she arrives in peak form, armed with the confidence and determination that have defined her young career.

The sixth edition of the prestigious 54-hole, four-day event features one of its strongest fields yet, headlined by defending champion and world No. 1 Lottie Woad, No. 2 Jasmine Koo, and No. 3 Mirabel Ting. Malixi, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, is among the top players to watch.

The competition begins with two rounds at Champions Retreat, with the final round at Augusta National reserved for the top 30 players who make the cut. The third day is set aside for a practice round at Augusta.

A total of 33 players will make their Augusta debut, many boasting impressive resumes. Notably, three of the last five champions won on their first attempt, setting an encouraging precedent for this year’s newcomers. Among them, Korea’s Soomin Oh (No. 8) leads the pack, having secured five WAGR (World Amateur Golf Ranking) titles in 2024, including the Korea Girls’ Junior and Korean Women’s Amateur.

The diverse group of first-timers ranges from teenage sensations to seasoned competitors. Korea’s Minseo Jung (No. 38), an 18-year-old with a win and 10 top-10 finishes in WAGR events this year, joins Oh in representing South Korea.

Thailand’s rising stars Sriwong and Vinijchaitham will compete alongside University of South Carolina freshman Eila Galitsky, making her third appearance after a joint eighth finish last year.

With 17 of the 33 newcomers hailing from outside the US, the tournament’s global presence continues to grow. Thailand, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the US each have at least three players ranked inside the world’s top 50 competing – further proving the event's increasingly international appeal.

As the world’s best amateurs brace for battle, Malixi and her fellow contenders aim to carve their names into Augusta history, each hoping to seize the moment and claim one of their most significant titles yet.

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