Late bogey breaks Malixi as Augusta bid falls short

Rianne Malixi of the Philippines plays her tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Course on April 02, 2026 in Evans, Georgia.

David Cannon / David Cannon Collection / Getty Images via AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Rianne Malixi looked poised to turn promise into a stirring comeback — until the closing stretch unraveled her bid in agonizing fashion.

Returning to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur with redemption on her mind, the Filipina ace surged into contention with a fearless start, only to see her hopes slip away over the final holes for the second straight day. A one-under 71 should have been enough to push her through — but instead, it left her one cruel shot shy of the cut.

Starting the second round at joint 40th at the Champions Retreat Golf Club, Malixi wasted no time igniting her charge. Three birdies in her first eight holes catapulted her into the projected Top 30, her name climbing the leaderboard and her confidence swelling with every precise swing.

For a moment, it felt like the surge she had envisioned was fully within reach — not just to survive the cut, but to contend deep into the weekend at Augusta National Golf Club.

But Champions Retreat has a way of testing even the steadiest nerves.

A bogey on the par-5 ninth halted her momentum, and though she steadied herself with a string of pars, the tension began to mount. Every missed birdie chance tightened the margin. Every hole felt heavier.

Still, Malixi fought on, clinging to her one-under total, knowing she was right on the edge.

Then came the par-3 17th.

Under pressure, her short game faltered at the worst possible moment. The missed up-and-down led to a costly bogey — one that would ultimately define her week. Walking to the 18th tee, the 2024 US Girls’ Junior and US Women’s Amateur champion needed one final moment of brilliance to save her campaign.

It never came.

She failed to make the most of the closing par-5, settling for par and sealing a two-day total of 144 — just one shot outside the cut line. Four players tied for the final qualifying spots at 143.

One stroke.

That was all that stood between Malixi and a spot on Augusta’s final stage.

For a player who entered the week brimming with confidence — fresh off a collegiate breakthrough and still riding the momentum of her landmark 2024 victories — the outcome was a bitter pill. This was supposed to be a redemption arc after last year’s absence and earlier disappointment.

Instead, it became another lesson in Augusta heartbreak.

Meanwhile, Asterisk Talley surged ahead with authority, firing a 67 to seize control at 133 and lead the 32-player field into the final round. Ironically, Talley had fallen to Malixi twice in previous USGA battles — but this time, it was she who marched on, while Malixi was left to wonder what might have been.