By Rahul Banerji
The more one sees and reads about Megha Ganne’s golf, even from so far away, the more one is convinced that the high school student is one to watch out for in the long run.
Megha has shown great resilience at the 76h US Women’s Open and goes into the final round alongside Lexi Thompson who too once made early waves in her career.
Thompson heads the leader-board and at 26, is playing in her 15th USWO at an event where only seven are under par after 54 holes. the small greens and deep rough making things hard for the field.
On Saturday, Megha battled her way to a 1-over par 72 and 3-under overall, four shots behind Thompson. Keeping her in the mix were her outs, needing just 25 on a day the rest of her game took a break.
Public favourite
The 17-year-old has also caught the imagination of America, and the wider world, not to mention the gallery which has grown over the past three days.
Tied for third alongside 2019 USWO winner Jeongeun Lee6 and three shots behind Philippines’ teenager Yuka Saso, Megha missed nine fairways and 11 greens in regulation, and still came away with a 72.
Those 25 putts could be worth their weight in gold in a few hours.
Quoted by the USGA and Golfweek websites, she had made the point that pressure is something she has very quickly come to terms with.
“I’ve always imagined myself engaging with the fans,” Megha said after the third round.
“…Because when I was younger and watching events, I knew I would love it when I would see the pros just even look at the crowd or smile or do anything like that, so I really wanted to embody that today.
“Every single small girl I saw out there I waved to and I couldn’t help but smiling.
“They’re just so adorable and it’s crazy to think that they’re like here for me and want to watch me play.”
At one point, she cupped her hand over her ear like a seasoned performer to call for more noise from an already converted band of supporters.
Crucial save
It worked as she sank a crucial bogey putt on 11 that kept her in touch with the leaders having made the turn on 5-under.
Two dropped shots in a row thereafter were a minor blip and Megha ripped off seven straight pars to close out the round,
“It was really mentally a grind out there and I’ve never had to perform from such bad lies and situations, hole after hole, and still believe that I was going to do it again on the next hole.
“It was a lot, but I’m confident in how I’m playing.
“I know I didn’t have it, so I was, like, you have trust in your short game.
“And there were some putts I made that I normally just don’t make and I’m, like, your putting is kind of great right now, so just get it on whenever you can.
Up at the top, Lexi Thompson had a bogey-free 5-under 66 to take the lead into Sunday at the US Women’s Open for the first time in her career.
The 26-year-old had three birdies on the front nine and two more on the back in her 15th USWO after first competing as a 12-year-old amateur in 2007.
Also read: Ganne off the pace, but still tied for third at US Women’s Open
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