Malixi eyes long-awaited breakthrough in Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific tilt

MANILA, Philippines, February 11 ------ Healthier, stronger, and carrying a renewed sense of purpose, Rianne Malixi heads into the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship in New Zealand brimming with confidence — and with unfinished business firmly on her mind. At just 18, Malixi is set to make a record sixth appearance in the prestigious championship, a testament not only to her longevity at the elite amateur level but also to her relentless pursuit of a title that has eluded her for far too long. For Malixi, this year’s WAAP is about far more than experience. It is about redemption.

Her campaign last year in Vietnam was heartbreakingly brief. A lingering back injury forced her to withdraw after just five holes in the opening round, cutting short what was supposed to be another meaningful run in a tournament she has long regarded as one of her most important goals. “While I had a setback early last year with my back injury, I spent the rest of the year doing my best to recover and bounce back,” said Malixi, an incoming Duke University freshman. “Now that I’m much healthier, I’m heading to the WAAP with my head held high and ready to play my best golf.”

That confidence is well-earned. Malixi enjoyed a stellar 2024 season, capturing both the US Girls’ Junior and the US Women’s Amateur, cementing her status as one of the brightest young talents in global amateur golf. Yet despite those major triumphs, the WAAP — often described as Asia-Pacific’s gateway to stardom — remains the missing jewel in her resume.

Past champions such as Jeeno Thitikul, Patty Tavatanakit, Yuka Saso and Grace Kim have used the WAAP as a springboard to LPGA success. Malixi hopes this week at Royal Wellington Golf Club will finally be her turn. The field, however, will offer no favors.

A total of 84 players from 25 Asia-Pacific nations will compete over 72 holes, headlined by defending champion Jeneath Wong of Malaysia, who is chasing a rare back-to-back title. Korea’s Soomin Oh, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 11 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, looms as a major threat, alongside compatriots Sumin Hong and Yunseo Yang. Australia’s Jazy Roberts and New Zealand’s Vivian Lu, armed with home-course familiarity, are also expected to contend.

Singapore’s Inez Ng and Rotana Howard of the Cook Islands join Malixi as fellow six-time WAAP competitors — a remarkable show of consistency at this level. But Malixi remains locked in on the task ahead. “The WAAP is one of the championships I look forward to playing each year, and I’ve always dreamed of lifting that golden plate on Sunday,” she said. “I’ve been through a lot over the past six years — the highs, the lows, the wins, and the setbacks. All of those experiences have shaped me into the player I am today.”

That journey — filled with promise, patience, pain and perseverance – may finally be poised to come full circle. Fellow Filipina Junia Gabasa will also see action in the championship, which offers the winner coveted exemptions into three LPGA major championships — the Women’s Open, the Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship. For Malixi, the stakes are clear. The preparation is done. The body is healthy. The hunger remains. Now, she hopes the long wait ends where it all began.

Source: philstar.com