Duke sophomore Rianne Malixi is already stacking up preseason honors before the 2026-27 women’s golf season even gets rolling.
Golfweek named Malixi to its preseason All-America first team on Tuesday, putting the Blue Devil among 10 players selected for the top group. The recognition gives Malixi both Golfweek and Golf Channel preseason All-America honors, and she also landed on the ANNIKA Award preseason watch list.
The preseason nod comes after a breakout freshman campaign in Durham. Malixi closed the 2025-26 season with a 40-under-par mark across six stroke-play events and went 4-0 in match play, a finish that showed how steady she was from start to finish.
Her biggest stage came at the NCAA Championship in May, where she shot 9-under-par 279 and finished third overall. Her four rounds came in at 73, 69, 68 and 69, and she became just the second Blue Devil to post three straight rounds in the 60s at the NCAA Championship.
The Manila, Philippines native put together a 70.61 stroke average, picked up a win at the Sea Best Intercollegiate and added five top-five finishes. She also logged 18 rounds of even or better and 10 rounds in the 60s.
That season brought plenty of hardware, too: WGCA National Freshman of the Year, Golfweek and WGCA First Team All-America honors, ACC Rookie of the Year and All-ACC recognition.
Duke, ranked sixth, will open 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.
Golfweek’s first team also included Vanessa Borovilos of Texas A&M, Anna Davis of Auburn, Paula Francisco of Florida, Jasmine Koo of USC, Maria Jose Marin of Arkansas, Paula Martin Sampedro and Andrea Revuelta and Meja Ortengren of Stanford, and Farah O'Keefe of Texas.
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