Indian-American Megha Ganne wins U.S. Women's Amateur to stun golfing world

Bandon (US), Aug 11 (PTI) Indian-American golfer Megha Ganne created history by winning the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur title at Bandon Dunes here, beating Brooke Biermann 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final, to stun the golfing world.

Ganne, a rising senior competing in her seventh U.S. Women's Amateur, defeated the 2025 Michigan State graduate Biermann.

The 21-year-old Megha's parents are Sudha Ganne, an endocrinologist, and Hari Ganne, an IT entrepreneur. Both are originally from India and are first-generation immigrants to the United States. They live in Holmdel, New Jersey, with their two daughters – Megha and Sirina.

In 2021, Megha, then a teen, held the lead after the first round at the US Women's Open and was tied for third going into the final round. She finished tied 14th but had the golfing world looking at her in amazement.

Alongside Indian-Americans Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala on the PGA Tour, Megha may well be the next big name in golf. Another golfer of Indian origin, Aaron Rai, who is Indo-British is also a PGA Tour winner and has been ranked inside Top-30.

Also, Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju, and Indo-American Julian Suri, both of whom won on the Korn Ferry Tour this year, are other golfers of Indian origin making waves around the world.

On a day when Megha won the US Women's Amateur, Bhatia was tied sixth and Rai was tied 22nd at the St Jude Championship in PGA Tour's FedEx Cup play-offs and Yellamaraju was fourth at Pinnacle Bank championship on Korn Ferry Tour.

By winning the 125th edition of the world's second-oldest women's amateur competition, Megha has earned an exemption into next year's U.S. Women's Open at The Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades, Calif., as well as guaranteed spots on the 2025 USA Women's World Amateur Team that will compete in Singapore in October.

En route to the final, the No. 11 player in the Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking dispatched three consecutive top-20 players – Anna Davis (14), Kary Hollenbaugh (20) and Eila Galitsky (6) – before rallying from 4 down with seven to play in her 19-hole semi-final triumph over No. 63 seed Ella Scaysbrook, a player who had never trailed in any of her matches until the last hole in the semifinals.

There wasn't much drama in the championship match. Megha never trailed, although each player won three holes, and the match was all square through 11 holes in the morning.

The 22-year-old Biermann lost the next three holes with bogeys and never caught up. Megha was 3 up after 18 holes, and Biermann never got closer.

Sometime back, Megha beat Lottie Woad, then World No. 1 amateur, and now a winner on the LPGA. PTI Cor AH AH