TULSA, Oklahoma – Rianne Malixi defeated Asterisk Talley 3, 2 to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur at rain-soaked Southern Hills on Sunday, three weeks after defeating Talley in the U.S. Girls’ Junior final.
Last month, 17-year-old Malixi – of the Philippines – beat 15-year-old Talley 8-7 in the U.S. Girls’ Junior at El Caballero in Tarzana, California, in the biggest final victory in the tournament’s history.
“Honestly, I love Asterisk. I would love to be friends with her,” Malixi said. “So I just kept talking to her. Even the small talks… It was so great to build a relationship with her. She’s just a great player and a great person too.”
Malixi is the second player to win both events in the same year, joining Eun Jeong Seong in 2016. She has verbally committed to play at Duke and plans to begin college play in 2025.
“Honestly, I just wanted to play good golf. That’s all,” Malixi said of her expectations for the year. “I didn’t expect to win the Australian Master of Amateurs in January and then the US Girls’ last month and then this. I was so surprised. Even though I played good golf, I just didn’t expect it.”
Talley, of Chowchilla, Calif., led at 1 on Saturday after the first 18 holes of the 36-hole championship match were moved up a day because of rain expected Sunday.
Malixi was up by 3 after 26 holes and Talley pulled even on the next three holes. They parred half of the 30th hole, Malixi birdied the next three and finished with half on the par 5 34th.
Talley won the US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in San Antonio in May alongside Sarah Lim.
“It was just cool that it was my first Women’s Am and I made it that far,” Talley said. “I feel like I can take a lot out of this week just with that knowledge. And I’m still young.”
