26 amateur, Megha Ganne’s remarkable performance at the U.S. Women’s Amateur was anything but by accident. She came back from four holes down with only seven to play to win that match and advance to the championship final. The senior-to-be at Stanford pulled off a dramatic turnaround comeback, ending up winning her match in 19 holes. Ganne’s path to the final was nothing short of remarkable, as she fought her way through a firestorm of competition the entire tournament.
During Thursday’s semifinals, Ganne was behind on the clock to Australia’s Ella Scaysbrook. Scaysbrook quickly moved to four up after making a fantastic 40-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th hole. However, Ganne refused to back down. That is, until she hit the shot of the day with a 25-foot putt for birdie on the 15th hole. This unbelievable basket shot brought it back to within one stroke. However, as the match progressed, Ganne took advantage of Scaysbrook’s mistakes. The one major misstep put Scaysbrook into the trees, resulting in her losing the 17th hole with a bogey.
Ganne’s road to victory was not without challenge. Not long before this ten-foot putt, she had been forced to go 22 holes in round two just to make it through. Her tenacity shone through as she stuffed her wedge into six feet on the 10th hole, illustrating her ability to perform under pressure. In short, her tactical move played out to make up a dazzling deficit and lift her into the final joind.
On the flip side of the bracket, Brooke Biermann was within a few seconds of a stunning comeback in her bout. Biermann capped an outstanding collegiate career this spring at Michigan State. She’s going to be making the move to pro after the U.S. Women’s Amateur and was three up with only three holes to go. I can tell you that Lyla Louderbaugh showed extraordinary perseverance. She took victory in the last three holes, capped off with a breathtaking birdie from 30 feet on the 18th. Biermann did a masterful job of staying calm under fire. She sealed the deal on the 19th hole after narrowly missing a short putt on the 18th hole that would have forced overtime in the match.
Ganne, currently No. 11 in the WAA’s women’s amateur rankings, is hoping to upset Biermann. That sets the stage for what should be an epic final! Both players have proven their unbelievable talent and fortitude during the entire tournament, and their inevitable clash is the most highly-anticipated match-up.
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