The Duke women's golf team opened the 2026 ACC Championship strong, finishing the first day at 12-under-par. They are currently tied for second place with SMU, trailing Stanford, who leads at 23-under. Freshman Rianne Malixi had an outstanding performance, sitting in second individually with a 9-under total. Behind her, junior Katie Li and other teammates contributed solid scores, keeping Duke competitive heading into the final round.

By the Numbers
  • Duke's score through 36 holes: 564 (12-under-par)
  • Rianne Malixi's score: 135 (9-under-par, tied for second)
  • Katie Li's score: 140 (4-under-par, tied for sixth)
State of Play
  • Duke recorded 33 birdies, ranking second in the field.
  • They had a record 12-under score of 275 in the first round, the lowest in ACC Championship history on a par-72 course.
What's Next

Duke will play in the final round of stroke play starting at 9:40 a.m. on Friday, with hopes to secure a top-four finish to advance to match play. The team aims to maintain their strong momentum and capitalize on individual performances.

Bottom Line

The Duke women's golf team is in a strong position to contend for the ACC Championship title, with key players in prime form. Their record-breaking performance illustrates both their talent and potential for future success.