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A month ago, amateur golfer Megha Ganne found herself in a 3-for-1 playoff to qualify for her second career U.S. Open.
Now, she holds a share of the lead with Mel Reid after the first round Thursday.
The 17-year-old recorded six birdies and led outright until a dropped shot on 18. She became the sixth amateur in U.S. Open history to shoot 67 or lower.
Ganne is also the first amateur to lead after a round at the U.S. Women’s Open since 2006, when Jane Park did it after Round 1 at the Newport Country Club.
The high school junior qualified for the U.S. Open two years ago at just 15 years old and missed the cut. This time around, things are different.
“I think the first time is nerve-racking for anybody and meeting your idols and being on the stage for the first time,” she said. “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.”
Ganne intends to play golf at Stanford after graduating high school next year. She might have the opportunity to play alongside current freshman Rachel Heck, who became the school’s first individual national champion a few weeks ago.
First, Ganne will try to become just the second amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open after Catherine Lacoste made history in 1967. Ganne is playing in the second group out on Friday.