Ganne, Li to represent Met Area at U.S. Women's Open Championship
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (May 29, 2024) -- The 79th U.S. Women’s Open Championship tees off Thursday and two New Jersey natives are among the world’s best. Megha Ganne and Katie Li will represent the Met Area at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pa. This is just the second time Lancaster Country Club will host the U.S. Women’s Open, the first coming in 2015 when In Gee Chun took home the trophy.
Ganne, of Holmdel, N.J., is coming off a successful sophomore season at Stanford University. The Cardinal captured its second NCAA women’s golf championship in three years on May 22, defeating UCLA 3-2 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. The 20-year-old helped her team to victory, going 2-0 in her completed matches.
In the semifinal round against USC, Ganne took down Brianna Navarrosa, 2 and 1, helping Stanford advance to the finals where a win over UCLA’s Natalie Vo helped secure the NCAA title. She finished the NCAA season ranked No. 8 in the country.
One week prior, Ganne had earned her spot in the U.S. Women’s Open shooting 6-under, with a total score of 138 at El Macero Country Club in California. She his currently ranked No. 34 among women's amateurs.
Ganne made her U.S. Women’s Open debut in 2019, with her most recent appearance in 2021. She led after a first-round 67 in 2019, becoming the first amateur to lead/co-lead after any U.S. Women’s Open round since 2006. She eventually tied for fourteenth with a total score of 287 and finished as low amateur.
Ganne will tee off Wednesday at 1:47 EST along with Ally Ewing and Ashleigh Buhai.
This will be the first U.S. Women’s Open appearance for Basking Ridge, N.J., native Katie Li. A rising sophomore at Duke, her season was highlighted by a 12-under win in the Florida State Match-Up. Li, the inaugural and reigning MGA Women’s Player of the Year, finished first against competitors from 14 schools as a freshman with a total score of 204.
“My whole freshman season so far I’ve felt like my game has been a little off every single time and to be candid, it was frustrating, but this win proved something to myself,” Li told the media after her breakout performance. “To trust the process and results will eventually follow with patience.”
In her junior career, she claimed six amateur victories including the 2023 Polo Golf Junior Classic and amassed 34 top-10 finishes.
Li qualified for this year's U.S. Women’s Open at Winchester Country Club in Massachusetts shooting 7-under, with a total score of 137.
The 19-year-old will tee off at 7:07 EST with Elizabeth Szokol and Yuka Nii.
Thursday through Sunday will see vast coverage of the championship, with broadcasts from NBC, USA Network and Peacock. The first group is set to tee off at 6:45 EST.