Amateur Megha Ganne leads after first round at US Women’s Open

For all the talk of how difficult Olympic Club is playing at the US Women’s Open, it’s a 17-year-old amateur who leads the field after the first round.

Megha Ganne, currently ranked No.71 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, is tied for the lead, alongside Englishwoman Mel Reid, at the 2021 US Women’s Open, with both players posting rounds of four-under par.

Ganne, who will only head to university for the first time later this year, carded six birdies during her first round. A bogey on the 18th saw the young starlet relinquish control of the solo lead at the conclusion of the first day at Olympic Club.

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Despite her young age, this is not Ganne’s first US Women’s Open, as she first qualified for the event back in 2019 at the Country Club of Charleston, where she missed the cut.

“I think the first time [at the US Women’s Open] is nerve-racking for anybody and meeting your idols and being on the stage for the first time,” explained Ganne after her round.

“But the second time around, even the practice rounds, I wasn’t as nervous. I felt like I could come here and just play my game instead of soaking that all in. So, I got that out of the way the first time around. It was definitely a little bit easier this time.”

Also at the top of the leaderboard, Mel Reid admitted that she surprised herself with her score as she carded only a single bogey for the day.

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“I didn’t think that score was out there,” said one-time LPGA winner Reid. “I had a pretty good game plan. It’s probably the best I’ve had for a tournament.

“It’s obviously day one. There’s a long, long way to go, and if you don’t pay attention, this golf course can really eat you up. I just need to stay focused. Whoever wins at the end of this is going to be really tired come Sunday.”

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The pair leading the way are one shot ahead of America’s Megan Khang and Angel Yin and Canada’s Brooke Henderson with Lexi Thompson, China’s Shanshan Feng and Yuka Saso of the Philippines a further shot back on two under.

Defending champion Kim A-Lim struggled on the day, posting an eight-over 79 to leave her 12 shots off the pace.