Rianne Malixi lost grip of what looked like a big 3-up frontside lead allowing Irish Sara Byrne to snare a 1-up victory in the first round of Match Play in the World Women’s Amateurs at the Prince’s Golf Club in Sandwich in Kent, England Thursday.
It was a sorry turn of events for the Filipina shotmaker, who had looked in control of the match after winning holes 1, 3 and 8. But she hit the wall of the fairway bunker on the ninth, leading to a bogey and Byrne cashed in on that break to mount her rally and fashion out the big come-from-behind win.
After both traded missed birdie putts on Nos. 10 and 11, Byrne birdied the 12th which Malixi failed to match from 10 feet. Another Byrne birdie on the next coupled with Malixi’s muffed putt from eight feet forced an all-square match with the former wresting the lead as the latter missed the 14th green and a par-saving putt from five feet.
The ICTSI-backed Malixi chipped past the hole on the par-5 15th and failed to convert a birdie and when she did drill one on the next, Byrne also made hers to stay ahead and the two matched pars on the par-3 17th.
Needing a birdie on the closing par-4 hole to extend the match, Malixi banged in a 10-footer but Byrne also holed out with a birdie of her own to advance to the Last 32 phase and frustrate her 16-year-old rival, who sparked hopes of a big campaign in one of the world’s premier amateur events when she battled back from the brink with a gallant second round 69 to make the grade in the 36-hole stroke play qualifying.
While it was another heartbreaker of a stint for Malixi, the world No. 93 still relished the chance to compete with some of the world’s best and on such a demanding links course, the exposure and the learnings she gained seen to further toughen her up as she heads to her next campaign, the Western Women’s Amateur in Illinois on 18 to 23 July.
She is also booked to play in the Girls’ Junior PGA in Arkansas on Aug. 1-4, and the US Women’s Amateur in California on Aug. 7-13, all world-ranking events. She also expects to lead the national team to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Sept. 23-Oct. 8, and the World Amateur in Dubai on Oct. 18-21.
In other results, top seed Beth Coulter of England hacked out a 2&1 decision over Spain’s Paula Francisco, world No. 1 Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden routed American Bailey Shoemaker, 8&7, and world No. 3 Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Paggio edged Aussie Abbie Teasdale, 2&1.
But Swede Edit Hertzman knocked out No. 2 Latanna Stone of the US on the 19th hole, American Catherine Rao eased past reigning Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific champion Eila Galitsky of Thailand, 1-up; and Scot Jasmine Mackintosh bundled out last year’s champion Jessica Baker of England in another 1-up result.
