RIANNE Malixi ran out of steam after mounting several scorching rallies as she fell to China’s Yujie Liu, 1 up, on the 19th hole of a thrilling round of 32 match in the US Women’s Amateur Championship on Friday (US Time).
Trailing 2 down with four holes left, the 19-year-old Filipino star beat Liu on the 16th and 17th holes to tie the match. They both parred the 18th and play was extended.
It was on the 19th hole that Rianne slipped, scoring a bogey against Liu’s par to end her bid for a second US Women’s Amateur title, the first one she won in 2024.
Malixi had been struggling during this tournament. She shot a 77 in the first round of stroke play, flirting dangerously with the cut line. She gathered herself and shot a 71 on the second day to make the cut, but barely.
She showed signs of recovery during the first round of match play when she routed Jasmine Koo, 6 and 5, in the day’s most dominant win.
But Liu was a different kind of opponent. The two-time winner on the Chinese Tour never trailed. She took the lead on the fourth hole and held it comfortably, leading 2 up, with a birdie on the par 3 14th.
It was here where Rianne rallied only to lose on the first extra hole.
LIV Golf NY: Tabuena drops to 47th place
Miguel Tabuena shot a 4-over-par 75 in the second round of LIV Golf New York, and dropped to solo 47th place from tie 29th during the first round.
After a relatively passable first round of 73, Tabuena is again on track for landing near the bottom of the field as he struggled to gain ground with the leaders.
He shot three birdies in his round that included three bogeys and two double bogeys at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster on Friday (Saturday Manila time).
Tabuena is 6 over for the tournament, and miles away from leader Joaquin Nieman of Chile who is lapping the field after another bogey-free round of 6-under-par 65.
Nieman is 13 under for the tournament after a 7-under 64 on the first day that gave a five-shot lead over his closest pursuers.
Lee Westwood also shot a 65 and is at 8 under, while another stroke back is Sergio Garcia, who matched the 65 of Westwood and Nieman.
PGA Tour: Hoey in contention at Wyndham after 65
Rico Hoey put himself in contention for his first PGA Tour title after firing a 5-under-par 65 in the second round of the Wyndham Championship on Friday at Sedgefield Country Club.
Hoey, 31, the first and only Filipino with a PGA Tour card, charged into a tie for fourth place at 9 under for the tournament, just three shots back of Beau Hossler who retained the lead after carding a 3-under 67.
Hoey, who is battling to get a spot in the FedExCup playoffs, had six birdies against a lone bogey in a sparkling round that put him in the title mix.
Hoey is projected at 103 in the FedEx Cup standings and needs to win if he hopes to play in the playoffs beginning next Thursday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Hossler , 12 under for the tournament, also needs a win to make it to the playoffs. And he has placed himself in good position after posting a 1-stroke lead over Ben James (67) and Jordan Smith (64).
Epson Tour: Pagdanganan, Del Rosario share 19th spot
Bianca Pagdanganan scored a 3-under-par 69 and Pauline del Rosario shot a 71 and were tied for 19th place after two rounds of the Epson Tour’s Smoky Mountain Championship.
Bianca moved up from a tie for 32nd place while Pauline dropped in the standings after sharing seventh place in the opening round.
Both are 5 under par for the tournament, seven shots behind leader Anne Chen who shot a 9-under-par 63 for a two-shot lead.
Chen had 10 birdies against a single bogey and is s at 12-under 132 through two rounds at Green Meadow Country Club.
Mirabel Ting and Rachel Kuehn shared second place at 10-under 134, two shots back. Ting had an eagle on the par-5 5th and six more birdies against two bogeys for a 6-under 66.
Kuehn also had an eagle on her score of 4-under 68.
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