Golf Channel’s preseason rankings gave Duke women’s golf a prominent spot Monday, slotting the Blue Devils at No. 6 in the nation and rewarding sophomore Catherine Malixi with a place on its preseason First Team All-America list.
Malixi, a native of Manila, Philippines, is one of 10 players named to the Golf Channel Preseason First Team All-America team. She heads into her second season in Durham after delivering one of the strongest freshman campaigns in Duke history.
Her rookie year came with a 70.61 stroke average, one win, five finishes in the top five, 18 rounds at even par or better, 10 rounds in the 60s and seven top-20 finishes across eight tournaments. The honors piled up along the way: WGCA National Freshman of the Year, Golfweek and WGCA First Team All-America recognition, ACC Rookie of the Year and All-ACC honors.
Malixi was especially sharp in the spring, going 40-under-par across six stroke-play events. She also went 4-0 in match play, picking up wins at the Old Barnwell Derby Match Play and the NCAA Championship.
At nationals, she finished third overall after posting a 9-under-par 279 with rounds of 73, 69, 68 and 69. That closing stretch made her just the second Blue Devil to string together three straight rounds in the 60s at the NCAA Championship.
Duke landed behind Stanford at No. 1, followed by Southern California, Texas, Texas A&M and Arkansas. The rest of the top 10 featured Wake Forest at No.
7, Florida State at No. 8, Auburn at No. 9 and South Carolina at No.
The rankings and All-America teams were compiled by Brentley Romine.
The Blue Devils bring back five players from last season: senior Katie Li, juniors Carla De Troia and Anna Cañado Espinal, Malixi and sophomore Avery McCrery. They also add two highly regarded freshmen, Mia Hammond and Martina Navarro Navarro.
Duke is set to begin its 2026-27 regular season Sept. 7-9 at the Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan. Golf Channel will televise the event.
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