The Stanford standout went low in her fifth appearance at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Talk about saving your best for one of the biggest stages.
Megha Ganne fired a career-best round Wednesday, opening the Augusta National Women’s Amateur with a scorching 9-under 63 at Champions Retreat Golf Club, good for a two-shot lead in the 54-hole event.
The 21-year-old New Jersey native has won college tournaments, been a part of a national championship team at Stanford and played in a Curtis Cup. But her scorecard never looked like this.
“Great timing to have—this is my career low in a golf tournament,” said Ganne, making her fifth start in the Augusta National Women's Amateur. “I had a feeling I was going to go low today but not this low. So I'm just trying to enjoy it.”
What wasn’t to enjoy? After an opening par at the 10th hole, her first, she rattled off three consecutive birdies then a fourth at the par-4 16th, going out in 32. But it got even better, with an eagle and three birdies on her second nine for a bogey-free 63.
Prior to Wednesday, the best score in five previous Augusta National Women’s Amateurs was a 65 at Champions Retreat in 2023 by Rose Zhang, a former Stanford teammate of Ganne’s who now plays on the LPGA.
“That's probably the first time I can say I've beaten her in something,” Ganne said.
Lottie Woad opened with 65 in her title defense, making eight birdies and one bogey around Champions Retreat to sit two behind Ganne. The England native who plays at Florida State won last year by one shot after birdieing three of the last four holes at Augusta National.
The field of 71 plays one more round Thursday at Champions Retreat, then cuts to the top 30 and ties for the final round Saturday at Augusta National. All players may play a practice round Friday at Augusta National.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Megha Ganne Soars at Augusta National Women’s Amateur With Record 63.
