‘Hometown Pride’: Holmdel Golfer Wins U.S. Women's Amateur Championship

HOLMDEL, NJ — A Holmdel golfer is making Monmouth County proud after she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon on Sunday.

Megha Ganne, 21, won three straight holes against competitor Brooke Biermann to win her first United States Golf Association (USGA) title in the championship.

By winning the 125th edition of the competition, she will earn an exemption into next year’s U.S. Women’s Open and guaranteed spots on the 2025 USA Women’s World Amateur Team, according to a report from USGA.

“It’s so crazy,” Ganne said in the report. “It's so much harder than it seems to win one of these, and it takes not only like a lot of patience, but so many things working in your favor: good health, good luck, good fortune, and good timing. All those things coming together just feels like it's fate. I feel very blessed right now.”

In addition to her recent victory at the championship, Ganne is currently a rising senior at Stanford University and previously contributed to Stanford’s 2024 NCAA Team Champion title.

In 2019, she even qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open in golf as a freshman at Holmdel High School. In order to qualify, she had to beat out 40 other golfers – some of them pros – at the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier, which was held at Forsgate Country Club.

In an interview with Patch, Holmdel Varsity Golf Coach Geraldine Semenza described Ganne as “the real deal.”

"This is a person who dedicated her career to this,” Semenza said. “Megha is also a very good student. Her work ethic is why she's so good. And the best part about Megha is she's as nice a girl as she is a good golfer. It's been a pleasure to see her jive with the whole team."

Today, Ganne has received plenty of love from friends, family and fellow Monmouth County residents as they celebrate her championship victory.

“On behalf of the Holmdel Township Committee and all of our residents, we extend our CONGRATULATIONS and hometown pride to Holmdel native and Holmdel High School alumna, Megha Ganne, on her incredible victory at the US Women's Amateur Championship yesterday!” Holmdel Township said in an online post. “We are so proud of your achievement and can't wait to see what you accomplish next!”

“Congrats to Holmdel’s Megha Ganne on her incredible fight to win this weekend and be crowned the 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur champion!” Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn said. “Alongside Chris Gotterup's stellar season, Monmouth County is proving it’s where golf champions are made.”

Though Ganne is only 21, she’s still come a long way throughout her career to reach this moment. In a report from NBC Sports, she said both her mental and physical game have evolved since she reached the semifinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2019.

“...At 15, I don’t think I had nearly the toolset that I do now; I have so many more shots in the bag, my physical game has evolved, my mental game has evolved,” Ganne said.

“It felt like when I was 15, I had to be playing my absolute best golf just to contend with these players, which is a totally different feeling than I have now," Ganne continued. "I feel like if I play golf that I know is well within my limits and my control, I feel like I’m going to be tough to beat.”

Previous Coverage

• Holmdel Freshman, 15, Qualifies For US Women's Open In Golf