Rianne Malixi and Asterisk Talley make things easy for amateur golf fans. Who was in the final of the US Girls’ Junior three weeks ago? Malixi and Talley. Who made it to the final of the US Women’s Amateur on Saturday?

Malixi and Talley.

Who will win the rematch?

The answer will materialize on Sunday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

But let’s start with how they got there. In the semifinals, Malixi beat Kendall Todd 1-up while Talley advanced after Maria Jose Marin retired on the 15th hole with a left leg injury – and the victories enabled a first. According to the USGA, it is the first time two finalists have played each other in multiple USGA championship matches.

With inclement weather expected in the region on Sunday, Malixi and Talley then played the first 18 holes of their 36-hole final on Saturday, with Talley taking a 1-0 lead. For Talley, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, the lead continued a strong year. She won the Sage Valley Junior Invitational (where Malixi finished second) and the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball with partner Sarah Lim. She also shared the title of top amateur at the U.S. Women’s Open and finished eighth at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

In the semifinals against Marin, the stroke play medalist and University of Arkansas golfer, Talley was catching up early on the back nine before an unfortunate moment struck. Talley won the 11th hole to tie the match, then the 12th to go up 1 before Marin fell to her knees on her approach shot on the 13th hole. She retired two holes later.

“It stretched out further than it should have and it hurt really bad,” Marin told the USGA. “Like nothing was broken, but like something was wrong. I just fell to the ground and couldn’t move. Of course that hurts because I wanted to be in the final so badly. And after I got to that point, I knew I was capable of better. But I looked at my dad (and my caddy) and just said, ‘I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.’ And he said, ‘OK, just take care of yourself.'”

Malixi also contributed to a strong year. The player, who will play at Duke University in 2025, won the Malixi-Talley match at the US Girls Junior and then beat Todd in the semifinals. The final three holes were electrifying. Todd, also a golfer at the University of Arkansas, won the 16th hole to take a 1-up lead. Malixi then tied the match with a birdie on the 17th hole and won on the 18th hole.

From there, Malixi and Talley continued and both played well.

In the final, Talley birdied the first hole to go up 1-up. Malixi won holes 3, 4 and 5 to go up 2-up. Talley won holes 6, 7 and 8 to go up 1-up and eventually extended her lead to 3-up – before Malixi won holes 13, 15 and 16 to tie the match.

But Talley then won 17 and will start Sunday’s competition with a 1-up lead.

“I feel like I never lose my stride,” Talley said on the Golf Channel. “… But I can’t think that I’m going to win tomorrow. I mean, obviously, anybody can win tomorrow. And I feel like if I just keep hitting fairways and greens and do the same thing I’ve been doing today and all week, it’ll probably work out tomorrow.”

The amateur tournament ends on Sunday and can be viewed on the Golf Channel starting at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Publisher

Nick Piastowski is a senior editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories related to all things golf. And when he’s not writing about how to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing golf, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash down his score. You can reach him about any of these topics – his stories, his game or his beers – at [email protected].