Will make LPGA Tour tournament debut in 2025
TARZANA, California – Recently crowned 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion Rianne Malixi will be competing against the world’s best female professional golfers next April when she makes a return visit to El Caballero Country Club as a sponsor exemption for the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, Los Angeles’ signature LPGA Tour event, taking place April 14-20.
At the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior, which concluded on Saturday, July 20 at El Caballero Country Club, a sponsor exemption to the JM Eagle LA Championship was on the line for the winner of the championship. Malixi, a 17-year-old from the Philippines who has verbally committed to Duke University, avenged her 1-down runner-up finish at the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior in record fashion.
Malixi had arguably one of the best days of her career on Saturday, registering 14 birdies against no bogeys in 29 holes of golf. In the morning 18, she shot the equivalent of 9-under 62 – with the usual match play concessions – in taking a 6-up lead after the first 18.
Asterisk Talley, the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Champion (where Malixi finished runner-up) and the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball champion, came out firing with three birdies over the first four holes in the afternoon session but could only cut the margin to as little as 5-down before Malixi closed out the match on the 7th hole to win 8-and-7.
“Being able to compete inside the ropes with LPGA professionals is a dream come true,” said Malixi. “I’m beyond honored, and I am very grateful for this opportunity. Playing in an LPGA Tour event is not something a junior gets to do every day, so I’ll be prepping for April!”
“Rianne played phenomenal golf all week at the U.S. Girls’ Junior at El Caballero, and we are excited for her to tee it up in her first LPGA Tour event at the JM Eagle LA Championship in 2025 as a result of her victory,” said David Tucker, vice president of sales and partnerships at Outlyr and the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. “Rianne has a bright future ahead of her on and off the golf course at Duke, and we look forward to welcoming her back to El Caballero in April.”
In addition, Talley (runner-up) and semi-finalists Jasmine Koo and Gianna Clemente also will be extended invitations to compete in the Monday Qualifier for the JM Eagle LA Championship, taking place Monday of tournament week.
The JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro is taking place at El Caballero in 2025 due to Wilshire Country Club undergoing a multi-million-dollar course renovation and comprehensive upgrade project beginning this fall.
El Caballero has previously hosted the LPGA Tour (2002-2004), won by Hall-of-Famers Seri Pak (2002) and Annika Sorenstam (2003 and 2004). In addition to hosting the recent U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, the club has hosted the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship as well as U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Senior Open qualifiers.
Named for the creek that meanders through the San Fernando Valley property, El Caballero Country Club was founded in 1957 and originally designed by William H. Johnson. Robert Trent Jones Sr. redesigned the course in 1963 and was recently renovated by his son, Rees Jones, in 2021.
The 2024 JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro boasted one of the strongest fields of the LPGA Tour season and featured a $3.75 million purse, the largest prize fund on the LPGA Tour outside of the major championships and the CME Group Tour Championship.
JM Eagle is the world’s largest manufacturer of plastic pipe with a national footprint of 21 plants throughout the country and the most comprehensive selection of high-performance, eco-friendly plastic pipes. Walter Wang is the Chairman and CEO of JM Eagle.
Plastpro, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of fiberglass doors and entry systems for residential and commercial properties, providing reliable, energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing doors and frames that are maintenance free with a lifetime warranty. Shirley Wang is the founder and CEO of Plastpro.
Based in Los Angeles, Walter and Shirley Wang are heavily involved in philanthropic initiatives across the world through their companies and the Walter and Shirley Wang Foundation.
For more information on the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, visit www.JMEagleLAChampionship.com.
