Melbourne, Australia: Teenager Rianne Malixi made a dream start to 2024 with a thrilling victory in the Australian Master of the Amateurs.
Pipped at the post in a handful of big events in 2023, the 16-year-old from the Philippines could not have wished for a better start to the New Year.
Thanks to a closing four-under-par 69 at Southern Golf Club, Malixi held her rivals at bay to claim the Green Jacket that is awarded to the Australian Master of the Amateurs champions.
Malixi’s 72-hole total of seven-under 285 was one shot ahead of Indian Avani Prashanth with Japan’s Nika Ito a further stroke back in solo third.
Lion Higo was the leading Australian in fourth while Malaysian Jeneath Wong, the 2022 champion, ended eighth on 291.
Hong Kong China’s Arianna Lau, the reigning Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Girls’ Junior champion, tied for 14th (297) with Australian Caitlin Peirce in a share of 16th spot (298).
Although she didn’t win a tournament in 2023, Malixi’s talent was clear for all to see with a succession of outstanding performances that saw her rise to 60th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
After finishing third individually in the Queen Sirikit Cup at Manila Southwoods, Malixi also finished third at The Royal Junior in Japan before agonisingly missing out on an individual medal at the Southeast Asian Games where she finished fourth. Later in the year, she was runner-up in the US Girls’ Junior Championship.
In the Men’s Championship at Southern Golf Club, Phoenix Campbell surged six spots on the leaderboard on the final day to secure top honours.
Campbell followed up a third round 65 with a closing 67. His 12-under aggregate of 276 was one in front of fellow-Australian Siddharth Nadimpalli.
Third place went to New Zealand’s Zackary Swanwick (278), while England’s Kris Kim signed off with a 64 – low round of the week – to soar into joint eighth place on 280.
Campbell’s success followed on from his win against the professionals at the Queensland PGA Championship.
Both Campbell and Malixi, along with many others from the field at Southern, now move on to next week’s Australian Amateur at Keysborough and Yarra Yarra, where Campbell recently set a new course record.
