By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Amateur standout Rianne Malixi birdied the opening hole in her much-awaited US Women’s Golf Championship debut, but it proved to be her last as she struggled along the way to turn in a 7-over-par 79 in the opening round on Thursday, May 29 (Friday, Philippine time) at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
Teeing off with heavyweights world No. 3 Lydia Ko and defending champion Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso, the Filipina teen sensation appeared awe-struck as she struggled to get her rhythm and limp home with four bogeys and two double bogeys against a lone birdie.
The 18-year-old, who is currently ranked No. 5 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, trailed co-leaders Julia Lopez Ramirez, Angel Yin, A Lim Kim, Jin Hee Im, Yeealimi Noh and Rio Takeda by 11 shots after the six golfers fired identical 4-under 68.
Starting at the back nine, Malixi showed promise with a birdie on her first hole, but her joy turned to be short-lived as she stumbled with a bogey on the 12th, followed by double bogeys on the 15th and 17th.
She tried to pick up her pace, but continued to wobble with more bogeys on the second, seventh and ninth holes.
Veteran Dottie Ardina also staggered after finding herself 13 strokes off the leaders with an 81.
Competing for the third time here, the 31-year-old Olympian faltered with five bogeys and a double bogey on the par-3 ninth on her first 10 holes, before finding brief resolve on the 12th with a birdie 3.
But the 31-year-old couldn’t capitalize on that birdie as she hobbled with three straight bogeys from the 13th hole.
Saso, who now plays for Japan, shot a 74 to trail leaders by six strokes after posting two birdies against four bogeys.
