Rianne Malixi’s freshman season just got a fitting exclamation point.
Malixi was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year on Friday, headlining Duke University’s haul of honors after a vote among league coaches.
She also earned All-ACC recognition, capping a debut campaign that has quickly positioned her among the brightest young stars in U.S. collegiate golf.
Malixi becomes the 17th player in program history to win ACC Freshman of the Year honors—and the first Blue Devil to do so since 2015.
The rookie from Quezon City has been nothing short of amazing this season, firing a 31-under-par total across events for a blistering 68.67 scoring average.
(C) Todd Drexler/Duke
Ranked No. 7 in the US, she is the highest-rated freshman in NCAA Division I women’s golf this season.
Her season already includes a breakthrough title at the Sea Best Intercollegiate, where she opened with rounds of 71, 66, and a sizzling 63 to finish 16-under.
She has since piled up top finishes—runner-up at the ACC Championship, third at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, and another podium tie at the Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate Invitational.
At the ACC Championship alone, Malixi strung together a school-record 45-hole bogey-free stretch, underscoring the kind of composure rarely seen from a freshman.
In total, eight of her 12 spring rounds have been at even par or better, reinforcing her reputation as one of the most consistent scorers in the field.
She now heads into Duke’s postseason push with momentum on her side, as the Blue Devils prepare for the Ann Arbor Regional set May 11 to 13 at the University of Michigan Golf Course.
