Duke Women's Golf Heads to Texas for Season Finale Showdown
As the regular season wraps up, the 11th-ranked Duke women's golf team is gearing up for an exciting challenge at the Charles Schwab Women's Collegiate Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. Set against the historic backdrop of the Colonial Country Club, this tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle.
The Blue Devils will be up against a formidable field, including top-tier teams like host TCU, Arizona (#22), Auburn (#6), Mississippi State (#16), Oklahoma State, Oregon (#7), SMU, Stanford (#1), Texas (#5), Texas A&M (#3), Tulane, and Wake Forest (#9). With seven of the nation’s top 11 teams in the mix, the competition is as fierce as it gets.
Duke's lineup is a blend of experience and youthful vigor, featuring graduate student Andie Smith, junior Katie Li, sophomores Carla De Troia and Anna Cañado Espinal, and standout freshman Rianne Malixi. This diverse group is ready to make their mark on the course.
The tournament format includes 36 holes of stroke play on Monday, followed by an 18-hole finale on Tuesday. Monday kicks off with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.
(ET), while Tuesday’s action begins with tee times at 9:15 a.m. (ET) from the first and tenth holes.
Rianne Malixi, hailing from Manila, Philippines, is a player to watch. She’s been on a tear recently, finishing first and third in her last two stroke play tournaments.
Her impressive final rounds of 63 at both the Sea Best Intercollegiate and the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate have propelled her to a 68.2 stroke average this spring, earning her the 12th spot in the national rankings. Fresh off three match play victories at the Old Barnwell Derby Match Play in South Carolina, Malixi is riding a wave of momentum.
Joining Malixi in the national rankings are teammates Smith (#56), Li (#58), Avery McCrery (#93), and Cañado Espinal (#96), each bringing their own strengths to the team dynamic.
This marks Duke’s inaugural appearance at the Charles Schwab Women's Collegiate Invitational, with Schwab having been the title sponsor since 2024. The Blue Devils will start their quest for glory on Monday at 10:30 a.m. (ET) with a shotgun start from holes 12-14.
As the season finale unfolds, all eyes will be on Duke to see how they fare against some of the best collegiate golf has to offer. With talent and determination, the Blue Devils are poised to make a strong statement in Texas.