Malixi eases safely into match play, draws Irish foe

Rianne Malixi: Second round 69—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Rianne Malixi rebounded from an atrocious first round of classification by shooting a three-under-par 69 on Wednesday to easily make the knockout stages of The Women’s Amateur and gather needed confidence when she faces a higher-ranked Irish foe at Prince’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, in southeast England.

Facing elimination after a 79, Malixi buckled down to work early by opening with three straight birdies to take 40th seeding with a 148 tally into the first round on Thursday where she Sfaces Sarah Byrne.

Ranked 93rd in the world, the Filipino has been busy campaigning overseas and is looking for a major breakthrough title.

Beth Coulter birdied two of her last four holes to shoot a 70, in the process becoming the first Irish to top qualifying in one of the world’s premier amateur events since Paula Grant in 2017.

The 19-year-old Coulter, who recently finished her freshman season at Arizona State U, clinched the low medal honors and the top seeding with a 139 total, besting four others, including world No. 1 Ingrid Lindbland, by three.

The 16-year-old Malixi, who saw action for the Philippines in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games last month, had a few stumbles in the second round but managed to pick herself up every time, as she comes into the match play stage with renewed confidence.