Anika honoured to wave the flag at US women’s amateur c’ship

By Rahul Banerji

Being the first Indian to appear in the prestigious US Women’s Amateur Championship is an achievement Anika Varma is keenly aware of.

“It’s an honour for me,” she tweeted before the 120th edition of the USGA’s premier women’s amateur tournament tees off at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland, from Monday.

The course is hosting its first USGA championship though it has been the venue of the US Open final qualifying for 32 out of 33 years since 1986.

It has also hosted three US Women’s Open qualifiers.

Anika is paired for the opening two rounds with Yale University’s Ami Gianchandani and Valery Plata of Colombia and Michigan State University,

Young guns

Anika, based in California, will be among the youngest entrants in the field of 132.

Along with Indian American Megha Ganne, Anika is among the eight youngest in the field, but that has in no way dampened her enthusiasm at being part of the biggest women’s amateur event in the US.

“I’m stoked to be here,” she told her coach Noah Montgomery.

“It’s hot and humid, with continuous pouring since I have landed here, greens are playing fast,” Montgomery tweeted, quoting his pupil after a practice round in Rockville.

In all, players from 21 countries are represented at the tournament, which has 12 USGA winners in the field including defending champion Gabriela Ruffels of Australia.

Ranking mattered

With the lack of golf in the past few months and consequently no qualifying events possible, organisers have gone with the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

This has made the championship the first all-exempt such tournament in recent history.

Following two rounds of stroke play competition on Monday and Tuesday, the top 64 will advance to the match-play portion of the championship.

Anika, who is among the largest group of 74 entrants between 16 and 20 years of age, was the top home finisher at last year’s Hero Women’s Indian Open.

“The USGA reached out to players based on the exemption category related to the WGAR. The top 75 ranked players as on June 24, 2020 were provided exemption into the Championship,” she said recently.

Exemption

“From there we were all asked to file an entry and today they contacted me to inform me that I have earned an exemption into the tournament.

“During the pandemic I haven’t been able to do much in high school as well as golf. Covid-19 has definitely affected my golf season this year.

“The year started with Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific being postponed to October. During the shelter-in-place my regular school shifted to online work,” she said.

“Other tournaments like the Thunderbird, USGA qualifiers, IMG Junior and the World Amateur Championship were all cancelled as was the Hero Women’s Indian Open.

“I was able to play the Cactus Tour because Arizona allowed golf courses to stay open as long as social distancing rules were followed.

“The experience has been great,” Anika added. The 16-year-old had some solid finishes on the Cactus Tour including a joint second and four other top-10 placings.

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