Malixi pulls within a stroke of Thunderbird lead in Arizona

Rianne Malixi slides into contention after 68. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Rianne Malixi used a big four-shot swing on No. 1 to come within a stroke of leader Nikki Oh on Saturday in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Thunderbird Junior All-Star, which promises to head to a wild finish at the Papago Golf Course in Phoenix, Arizona.

Malixi, who started the round four strokes off the American, carded a four-under-par 68 for a 36-hole 134, just a shot behind Oh, who signed for a fat 8 on the par-5 opening hole which the Filipino birdied.

Oh, who had a rare double eagle on No. 1 in the first round on the way to a 65, hit a couple of errant shots to start the second as she hobbled to a 71 and left the door wide open for Malixi, the 15-year-old who will return to the Philippines in May just in time for the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Top-tier event

The tournament drew 15 champions of the AJGA, including four in the Top 150 of the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

Alabama’s Scarlett Schremmer and Bridget Chantharath of California pooled identical 138s after a 66 and 67, respectively, and Nevada’s Brynn Kort fired a 69 to assemble a 139, setting the stage for a final round shootout among five contenders.

Oh, Malixi and Schremmer will be in the final group that tees off at 8:08 a.m. on Sunday.

Malixi, ranked No. 25 in the Rolex AJGA, is seeking a follow up to her wire-to-wire triumph in the AJGA Se Ri Pak Desert Junior last year.