Malixi completes US Girls’ Junior-Women’s Amateur sweep, beating Talley again in final

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Rianne Malixi beat Asterisk Talley 3 and 2 to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur on Sunday at rain-softened Southern Hills, three weeks after routing Talley in the U.S. Girls’ Junior final.

Last month in the U.S. Girls’ Junior, the 17-year-old Malixi — from the Philippines — beat the 15-year-old Talley 8 and 7 at El Caballero in Tarzana, California, the largest championship-match blowout in tournament history.

“Honestly I love Asterisk. I would love to be friends with her,” Malixi said. “That’s why I just kind of like kept on talking to her. Even those small talks … Developing a relationship with her has been so awesome. She’s just a great player and a great person as well.”

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, with plans to begin college play in 2025.

“Honestly I just wanted to play good golf. That’s it,” Malixi said about her expectations for the year. “I wasn’t expecting to win the Australian Master of Amateurs in January and then win U.S. Girls’ last month and then this one. I was so surprised. Even though I was playing good golf, I was just not expecting it.”

Talley, from Chowchilla, California, led 1 up Saturday after the first 18 holes of the 36-hole championship match were moved up a day because of expected rain Sunday.

Malixi was 3 up after 26 holes, and Talley took the next three holes to it. They halved the 30th with pars, Malixi won the next three with birdies and closed it out with par halve on the par-5 34th.

Talley teamed with Sarah Lim to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball in May in San Antonio.

“Just to be my first Women’s Am and being able to make it this far was really cool.,” Talley said. “I feel like I can take a lot from this week just knowing that. And I’m still young.”

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