Malixi rallies, but fades with 75; Harris nears crown

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi charged back from a four-over card with birdies in the last two holes as she rescued a 75 and move to joint 12th. But young local star Amelia Harris all but nailed the Australian Amateur championship with a fiery 68 in the third round at the Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Victoria Thursday.

Harris, 15, dominated the par-73 course she calls home with two eagles, breaking away from a tie with Japanese Aina Fujimoto to storm to a commanding six-stroke lead over Mamika Shinchi, also from Japan, with a nine-under 210 aggregate heading to the final 18 holes of the host country’s national championship.

Shinchi embraced the role of the challenger, cashing in on Fujimoto’s faltering performance with a two-under 71, featuring three birdies against a bogey, for a 216.

Meanwhile, Aussie Eunseo Choi matched par 73 to seize solo third at 217 while Fujimoto bounced back from a five-over card after 11 holes with a couple of birdies in the last six holes although her 40-36 round dropped her to fourth at 218.

Earlier in the day, Malixi, whose campaign is sponsored by ICTSI, faced setbacks following a disappointing 78 at Yarra Yarra on Wednesday after an impressive 70 at Keysborough course.

Back at the exacting layout, Malixi dropped two strokes on the par-3, 191-yard No. 3 and bogeyed Nos. 11 and 12.

But the winner of last week’s Australian Master of the Amateurs title showcased her resilience, birdieing the last two holes for a 38-37 as she poised herself for at least a Top 10 finish with a 223 total, 13 strokes behind the leader.

Despite Malixi’s late surge, Harris asserted her dominance with a five-under round, distancing herself from the competition. The Aussie’s stellar performance included birdies on No. 8, an eagle on the next and another birdie on the 10th.

Though she made bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12, Harris maintained control with three straight pars then eagled the 16th before drilling another birdie putt on the last hole to drive a wedge between her and her pursuers.

As Malixi hopes for a comeback, the huge gap between her and Harris poses a formidable challenge in her pursuit of securing back-to-back titles Down Under.