Escaping from the snow at home, the Duke women’s golf team traveled where the grass is greener.
Under the sunny skies at the San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla., Duke women’s golf broke several school records at the Sea Best Intercollegiate, with the team finishing second overall and freshman Rianne Malixi placing first individually.
“I thought we did a great job,” head coach Dan Brooks said. “It was a solid course, and it just took some learning … But they sure learned, because by the second round, we were doing some great things.”
Malixi, like the rest of her team, played the best and finished strong in the third round at the par-72, 5,954-yard course. After finishing just 1-under in the first round, the Manila, Philippines native went 6-under in the second round, and was in second place after 36 holes, trailing by two strokes.
In the third round, she shot 9-under for a score of 63. Malixi opened the round with a birdie, par and eagle, but then bogeyed back-to-back shots. To get back ahead, in the back nine, Malixi birdied every single hole except holes 15 and 18, setting another Duke record for most under in the back nine.
“She’s a very hard worker, and she made some adjustments in her swing that I think were causing the issues [that] were causing her a little trouble in the fall,” Brooks said. “I think she cleaned some of that up. She’s got a great mind for the game, and really shined in this tournament.”
Her final round 63 tied the school’s record for the best 18-hole score on a par-72 course, while her three-day score of 200 also set a new Duke record for 54-hole outings. Malixi’s three-day 16-under was good for first place in the tournament and her first career title, beating out Florida’s Paula Francisco by two strokes.
In a competition featuring over 11 schools, the Blue Devils and Gators both dominated, with the entire top-12 individuals hailing from the two schools. Beyond Malixi, junior Katie Li came in fourth, sophomore Anna Cañado Espinal placed fifth and Andie Smith and Avery McCrery finished sixth and eighth, respectively.
With a fall season highlighted by first and second-place finishes at the Windy City Collegiate Classic and Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational, Brooks’ squad has enjoyed a lengthy offseason. The return to play in Jacksonville, combined with it being the team’s first time playing the course, set the conditions for the slow start.
Shaking off the rust with a collective 2-over in the first round, Duke’s seven golfers improved for a total 15-under in the second go-around, featuring 31 birdies. The freshman McCrery notched an eagle on a par-5 hole with a 40-foot putt, the round finishing 3-under.
In her third round, McCrery birdied on the 16th and 17th holes to end 1-under, while Li birdied five times to end 2-under for the round. Li finished 6-under in the tournament for her fourth career top-five finish.
Returning from the warmth of Florida back to Durham, where snow and ice have covered the greens, Brooks is staying optimistic despite the conditions.
“We’re looking at the weather, and we have to be patient right now. We have to believe in ourselves, because we’re not going to be able to put in the hours because of this weather,” Brooks said. “But a lot of golf is just attitude, and we’re gonna keep a positive attitude and do what we can.”
The team next travels to the Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, Fla., Feb. 15-17.
