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Holmdel freshman golfer qualifies for U.S. Women’s Open

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Megha Ganne may be just a 15-year old freshman at Holmdel High School, but she already has accomplished a major goal.

On April 23 at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, Ganne accomplished something rare and huge when she qualified for the 74th U.S. Women’s Open Championship.

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“The real one,” said Geraldine Semenza, Ganne’s girls’ golf coach at Holmdel about her player qualifying for such a major event.

In a sectional qualifier, Ganne finished first in a field of 40 other players, 32 amateurs and eight professionals, with an even par score of 72-70-142. The Holmdel resident, who is still an amateur, will play in the U.S. Open because she won the qualifier.

The 2019 U.S. Women’s Open will start on May 30 at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina.

Ganne started golfing when she was seven and grew up watching Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournaments on television. But the U.S. Open was always her favorite.

“Ever since I was little it was what I wanted. Who knew it would come so soon,” Ganne said. “The fact that I’ll be playing in it is mind blowing.”

Ganne, who is ranked sixth in the nation for the class of 2022, and in the United States Golf Association’s Top 50 for amateur players, achieved her dream by playing a different way than she normally does.

The powerful freshman typically likes to drive the ball far and go for the pins. But Forsgate, she explained, is too long of a course to play that way. If you go for pins, it could lead to a double bogey or two, which could mess up your entire round.

So instead of pounding her drives, Ganne placed them in the middle of fairways. This allowed her to stay on track for pars once she got to the greens. The strategy worked.

“My putting was really good that day,” Ganne said.

“She can putt the cover off the ball,” said Katie Rudolph, Ganne’s private coach. “She makes creative and imaginative decisions on the green, and hits really tight lines.” 

The high school freshman was not rattled by the moment, a quality that will serve her well on women’s golf’s biggest stage. Ganne’s goal at the U.S. Open is to make the cut.

“I’ve always wanted to play on Sunday at the U.S. Open,” she said. “I think I can surprise myself one more time and make it.”

“Even though she’s 15, she’s ready for this experience,” Rudolph added. “She hits thoughtful golf shots and is playing way beyond her years.”

Ganne is also Holmdel’s No. 1 golfer, and she is leading a strong team to another sterling campaign. On April 15 at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune, Holmdel won the Shore Conference Tournament championship for the third straight year.

The freshman standout enjoys high school golf because it offers a different experience than her junior tournaments.

“It’s an individual sport, so I like getting to be on a team,” Ganne said. “High school is my chance to have fun.”

Ganne is the No. 2 ranked girls’ high school golfer in New Jersey, according to NJSIAA state rankings. She will be a strong contender for the NJSIAA Individual Tournament of Champions state title. The state championship will take place on May 21 at Royce Brook Golf Club in Hillsborough.

“I expect her to continue to make noise,” Semenza said.

Beyond the Tournament of Champions and the U.S. Open, Ganne isn’t thinking too far ahead. She just knows she wants to play Division 1 golf in a few years.

“That’s as far as I’ve thought it out,” she said, laughing.

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