Malixi Claims First Collegiate Title; Duke Places Second in Florida

Monday, January 26

Jacksonville, Fla.

Duke University

Sea Best Intercollegiate

Photo by: Todd Drexler

Malixi Claims First Collegiate Title; Duke Places Second in Florida

1/27/2026 7:27:00 PM | Women's Golf

Scoring Photo Gallery

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duke women's golf's highly-touted freshman Rianne Malixi collected her first collegiate individual title this week as the Blue Devils opened the 2026 spring portion of their schedule at the Sea Best Intercollegiate, which was contested at the 5,954-yard, par-72 San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville.

Malixi, a native of Manila, Philippines, registered the victory in record fashion as she carded a 9-under-par, 63, in the final round and a 54-hole score of 16-under-par, 200, to win by two strokes. The round of 63 tied for the lowest 18-hole score on a par-72 course in Duke history and the 3-day total of 200 was the lowest score in Blue Devil lore. Malixi's 16-under score was tied for the 20th lowest 54-hole score in relation to par in NCAA history and her 63 was tied for the 21st lowest 18-hole score as well. She also became just the 15th freshman to shoot a 63 or better in NCAA action.

As a team, Duke finished with a 27-under-par, 837, to finish second overall and only one stroke behind Florida (836). The 27-under-par score of 837 was tied for the second-lowest 54-hole score in Duke history. The Blue Devils featured five golfers in the top eight of the individual leaderboard – Malixi (1st, -16), Katie Li (4th, -6), Anna Cañado Espinal (5th, -5), Andie Smith (T6th, -4) and Avery McCrery (8th, -1). The last time Duke notched at least four golfers in the top 10 was in 2017.

HOW IT HAPPENED – ROUND THREE

Rianne Malixi had it dialed in early sinking a 5-foot birdie on No. 1 and then posted her second collegiate eagle on No. 3 to get to 3-under. She suffered her only two bogeys on No. 4 and No. 5, but came back with a 4-footer for birdie on No. 6 to get back to 2-under. After three pars, Malixi made the turn at 2-under, 34. On the back nine, she birdied the first five holes to move to 7-under for the day. She stuck four of the next five within eight feet and also drained a 40-footer for birdie on No. 13. With four holes remaining, Malixi parred No. 15, sank a 9-foot birdie on No. 16 and a 6-footer for birdie on No. 17 to get to 9-under. She parred No. 18 to finish with the 9-under, 63. Malixi hit 11 fairways, 16 greens and had a career-best 25 putts. Her back nine of 7-under, 29, was a Duke record.
Junior Katie Li finished the event with a 6-under, 210, which slotted her fourth overall on the individual leaderboard. A product of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Li birdied the first hole as she sank a 10-foot putt. She then played the next 11 holes at 2-over with bogeys on No. 4 and No. 6.Li struck fire down the stretch as she drained a 14-foot birdie on No. 13 to return to even par. She then hit her 58-degree wedge from 38 yards to a foot for birdie on No. 14. After a par on No. 15, Li drained a 12-foot birdie and then hit her 3-wood from 237 yards to 21 feet and 2-putted for birdie on No. 17 to finish with a 3-under, 69. She hit 14 greens, 10 fairways and had 29 putts.
Playing as an individual, Anna Cañado Espinal fired rounds of 73, 66 and 72 to place fifth with a 5-under, 211. She opened the third round with a birdie and eagle on No. 2 and No. 3 to get to 3-under early. Cañado Espinal then played the next six holes at 4-over to make the turn at 1-over, 37. Over her final nine holes, she carded two birdies on No. 11 and No. 17 along with one bogey on No. 13 and six pars to finish at even-par, 72.
Graduate student Andie Smith signed for an even-par, 72, in the final round as she went on to place tied for sixth with a 4-under, 212. She had a slow start to her afternoon as she was 2-over through 10 holes. Smith, who hails from Hobe Sound, rolled in her first birdie of the day on No. 11 from six feet, parred the next four holes and then suffered a bogey on No. 16. With two holes remaining, Smith sank an 8-footer for birdie on No. 17 and then hit her 9-iron from 130 yards on No. 18 to two feet for birdie to finish with a 72. She hit 14 greens on the day.
Rookie Avery McCrey totaled her second career top-10 finish with a 1-under, 215, as she shot 69 and 70 over her final two days. In the final round, McCrery totaled a birdie on the par-5 third hole and then was 2-over through the next 10 holes. She got things going down the stretch as she sank a bunker shot for birdie on No. 14, stuck her approach to two feet on No. 16 for birdie and got up-and-down for birdie on No. 17 to finish with a 70. McCrery, who is from Wilmington, Delaware, had a career-best 27 putts on the day.
Carla De Troia turned in a 76 to close out the week, while Martina Yu signed for a 75 as an individual.
Duke's five starters had 23 birdies and one eagle on the day.

HOW IT HAPPENED – ROUND TWO

Duke came out on fire in round two with 31 birdies between the seven golfers. The Blue Devils featured five golfers shooting in the 60s – Rianne Malixi (66), Anna Cañado Espinal (66), Andie Smith (69), Katie Li (69) and Avery McCrery (69).
The Blue Devils' 15-under ledger of 273 was the seventh-lowest 18-hole score for Duke on a par-72 course. Duke (563) finished the day at 13-under-par through 36 holes and trailed Florida (556) by seven strokes.
Heading into the final round, Duke featured four Blue Devils in the top six of the individual leaderboard – Malixi (2), Cañado Espinal (4), Smith (5) and Li (T6).
Malixi carded her lowest 18-hole ledger as a Blue Devil with a 6-under, 66, to move into second place individually.With 18 holes remaining, Malixi (137) trailed Florida's Paula Francisco (135) by two strokes.
From the start, Malixi had it dialed in with back-to-back birdies on No. 2 and No. 3. She then added birdies on No. 6, No. 10, No. 14 and No. 17 for a bogey-free afternoon. Of Malixi's six birdies, five were from six feet or under. She hit nine fairways, 16 greens and rolled 29 putts along with two up-and-downs.
Smith started her day on hole No. 4 and quickly moved to 2-under as she rolled in a 5-footer for birdie on No. 6 and drained a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 7. She 2-putted for birdie on the par-5 No. 11 and suffered her lone bogey of the day on No. 15. With six holes remaining, Smith turned in five pars and hit her 50-degree wedge from 93 yards for an 8-footer for birdie on No. 17. Smith finished the day with a 3-under, 69, which marked her 21st career round in the 60s.
Li had another great start to her day with three straight birdies on No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 to get to 3-under quickly. She then parred six holes in a row, before collecting another birdie on No. 11. Li finished with six pars and a bogey on No. 15 to card a 3-under, 69. It marked her 12th career round in the 60s.
McCrery carded a career-best 3-under, 69, in round two as she posted three birdies and one eagle over 18 holes. She opened with a par and then sunk a 40-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 third hole. After three pars and a bogey on No. 5, McCrery got hot again by draining an 8-foot birdie on No. 8 and a 30-foot birdie on No. 9 to get to 3-under. She added another birdie from six feet on No. 12 and then closed with six pars and a bogey on No. 18. McCrery's round was her first as a Blue Devil in the 60s as she hit 15 greens and had 29 putts.
Carla De Troia featured three birdies over her final seven holes to sign for a 1-under, 71, in the second round.
Cañado Espinal signed for her best 18-hole ledger as a Blue Devil with a 6-under, 66. She totaled seven birdies, one bogey and 10 pars on the day, while hitting 14 fairways and 16 greens. Cañado Espinal opened with her lone bogey of the day on No. 18 and then was 7-under over her next 17 holes with birdies on No. 1, No. 3, No. 5, No. 9, No. 10, No. 11 and No. 17.
Playing as an individual, Martina Yu opened her round on No. 17 and was 2-under through 11 holes. She rolled in a 30-footer on No. 5 and then chipped in for birdie on No. 7. Yu stuck it close on No. 8 and rolled in a 3-footer for birdie. She suffered a triple-bogey on No. 10 and drained a 12-foot birdie on No. 12, before closing with a 74.

HOW IT HAPPENED – ROUND ONE

The Blue Devils got off to a slot start Monday morning as the Blue Devils totaled a 2-over, 290, in the first round of 2026 and were second overall.
Duke was led by the trio of Rianne Malixi (71), Andie Smith (71) and Katie Li (72).
Malixi opened her day with eight pars, before suffering a bogey on No. 9 to make the turn with a 1-over, 37. She 2-putted from 30 feet for birdie on No. 11 and then drained a 6-foot birdie on No. 14 to get to 1-under. Malixi then rolled in a 25-foot birdie from off the green on No. 15, before closing with a bogey on No. 18 to finish with a 71. She hit 12 fairways and 14 greens on the morning, while finishing with a 1-under, 71.
Smith kicked off her round on No. 4 and parred her first four holes. She then sank a 15-foot birdie on No. 8 followed by a bogey on No. 9 to make the turn at even-par, 36. Smith had a tap-in birdie on No. 11 as she hit her 60-degree wedge to inches. She then had a 5-footer for birdie on No. 13 to move to 2-under. After a double-bogey on the 14th, Smith closed with three pars and hit her 50-degree wedge from 90 yards to 10 feet for birdie on No. 17. She hit 15 greens on the day as she finished with a 1-under, 71.
Li featured the best start to the day for the Blue Devils as she birdied No. 2 and No. 3, after starting on hole No. 1. She then parred the next seven holes, before moving to 3-under with a birdie on No. 11. Li suffered a double-bogey on No. 13, but got a stroke back with a birdie on No. 14. She closed the day with three bogeys and a birdie over her final four holes to finish at even par.
Freshman Avery McCrery was even-par through 13 holes on the day, before dropping four shots over her final five holes to finish with a 4-over, 76. She registered three birdies on No. 8, No. 12 and No. 13, as she hit 13 greens in round one.
Carla De Troia struggled in round one with an 84.
Playing as individuals, Anna Cañado Espinal and Martina Yu turned in rounds of 73 and 79, respectively. Cañado Espinal totaled three birdies and four bogeys on the day, Yu had one birdie on six from six feet.
As a team, Duke struggled on holes No. 9 (5-over), No. 17 (4-over) and No. 18 (5-over), while playing the par fives at 1-under-par.

NOTES

Rianne Malixi posted her first collegiate victory along with her first top-10 finish. She now owns three career rounds in the 60s. Malixi registered Duke freshman records for lowest 18-hole score (63), lowest 54-hole score (200) and was the 16th Blue Devil freshman to win a tournament.
Malixi led the field with a 6-under score on par-4 holes, a 9-under ledger on par-5 holes and 18 birdies.
Katie Li posted her fourth career top-five finish and sixth career top-10 placement. She now owns 13 career rounds in the 60s.
Anna Cañado Espinal notched her third career top-five and fourth career top-10 finish. She ranked third among the field with 13 birdies.
Andie Smith now owns 45 career rounds of even or under par and posted her eighth career top-10 finish.
Out of 15 career rounds, freshman Avery McCrery now owns eight scores of even or under par.
Duke led the field with a 19-under score on par five holes. The Blue Devils finished with 48 birdies.

Quotes

"I played really well this week. I'll credit that to my exceptional iron play and consistency off the tee. Although I have been uncomfortable with my putting, I somehow made this work. I'm very grateful for Coach Brooks and Coach Whithaus for their insights and the whole team for making this so special for my first collegiate win. Go Duke!" – Duke freshman Rianne Malixi
"We didn't know how close we were with Florida because the Clippd scoring system was not functioning well, particularly today. So close. I'm proud of the team. It was our first event, we've been in the cold back home and it was our first time competing on this moderately challenging course and setup. It was a successful tournament for us. Hats off to Rianne for her first college win. After the practice round she said she thought the course was get-able. She got it!"-- Duke head coach Dan Brooks

WHAT IS NEXT

Duke will return to the state of Florida for the Moon Golf Invitational from Feb. 15-17 at the Suntree Country Club in Melbourne.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWGOLF".

#GoDuke

Team Leaderboard:
1.) Florida: 277-279-280 (-28)
2.) Duke: 290-273-274 (-27)
3.) Stetson: 292-299-302 (+29)
4.) Richmond: 301-305-297 (+39)
5.) MTSU: 302-303-304 (+45)
6.) Samford: 311-299-316 (+62)
7.) Seminole State: 309-308-311 (+64)
8.) Daytona State: 310-300-320 (+66)
9.) Jacksonville: 311-305-317 (+69)
10.) Palm Beach State: 315-306-329 (+86)
11.) USC Upstate: 327-324-333 (+120)

Duke Results
Rianne Malixi   71-66-63=200 (1st, -16)
Katie Li 72-69-69=210 (4th, -6)
Andie Smith    71-69-72=212 (T6th, -4)
Avery McCrery   76-69-70=215 (8th, -1)
Carla De Troia   84-71-76=231 (T33, +15)
Team   290-273-280=836 (-27, 2nd)

Individual
Anna Cañado Espinal 73-66-72=211 (5th, -5)
Martina Yu   79-74-75=228 (T25, +12)