WELLINGTON: Rianne Malixi of the Philippines overcame early misfortunes to post a third round of 1-over 73 and remain in title contention at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship on Saturday.
The 18-year-old Rianne dropped a double bogey and bogey in her opening five holes at Royal Wellington Golf Club before bravely fighting back with birdies on 14 and 17 to sit in solo fourth place on 9-under 207, four shots back of 54-hole leader Yang Yunseo of Korea.
Bidding to become the first golfer from the Philippines to lift the prestigious WAAP title, the teenage phenom, who won the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur, knows her putter needs to get hot on Sunday.
“It was not a good day in the office,” conceded Rianne, who has two top-5 finishes at the WAAP.
“I had bad breaks in the first nine. Like my first double, the second hole, I slipped when I teed off, went straight left and had to tee off again and doubled that one. And on five, hit a good wedge shot 40 yards in, landed like a yard before and hit the pin and bounced back off the green.
“That was like my only dropped shots, and none of my putts were like dropping, but I hit a lot of good iron shots. It was frustrating. I tried my best to be patient out there, which I did.”
With swirly winds testing the players, a resilient Rianne birdied the driveable par-4, 14th hole and later stuck a wonderful approach next to the pin on 17 for her two birdies before saving par at the par-5, 18th hole with a tricky up-and-down from off the green.
“In the moment, it's not enjoyable for sure. Now, after the round, when I look at it, I'm glad that I stuck it out there and was patient,” said Rianne, who spent most of 2025 on the sidelines due to a back injury.
“I just want to play some good golf tomorrow. I deserve some putts in at least. Like I made zero putts today.”
The 18-year-old Yang is also dreaming of delivering Korea’s first WAAP title despite her overnight three-shot lead shrinking to two following a 72, which put her on 13-under 203.
Compatriots Oh Soomin (67), who was the runner-up in Vietnam last year, and Kim Gyu Been (71), share joint second place on 11-under.
Like Rianne, Yang, who finished fourth in her WAAP debut last year, didn’t have the best of starts where she went out in 38 after mixing her card with one double bogey, two bogeys and two birdies.
“I was nervous at the start. I made a bogey and a double bogey. At the beginning of the back nine, I kept telling myself, ‘It’s not over. I can still make up for it.’ That helped me finish on a positive note,” she said.
“I’m still doing well. There’s one more day left. If I approach it with the mindset of starting afresh, I think a good result will follow.”
The WAAP was developed by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the region’s elite women amateurs to the international stage and the rewards on offer are significant. The champion will earn exemptions into three major championships in 2026, the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, The Amundi Evian Championship in France and the Chevron Championship in the United States.
The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship is proudly supported by Rolex, ISPS Handa, Royal Wellington Golf Club, Samsung, Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Peter Millar, Titleist, Sparms, New Zealand Mercedes-Benz and Tongariro, as well as investment partners New Zealand Major Events and Wellington Council and host association Golf New Zealand.
