San Francisco, Jun 5 Megha Ganne, an American teen amateur with Indian parentage, continued to hold the spotlight with an even par round on the second day to sail into the weekend rounds in tied-third place at the US Women’s Open here.

The 17-year-old Ganne, who came into the Major after battling through a 3-for-1 play-offs in the qualifiers last month, had three birdies and three pars.

She also had three bogeys in the last seven holes on 12th, 15th and 18th at The Olympic Club.

Yuka Saso of the Philippines took the 36-hole lead with rounds of 69-67 and if she wins on Sunday, she will be of the same exact age as the tournament’s youngest all-time champion Inbee Park.

Park was 19 years, 11 months and 17 days old when she captured this title 13 years ago at Interlachen Country Club outside of Minneapolis. Since then, she has won six additional majors, including a second US Women’s Open title in 2013.

If she wins, it will be Saso’s first major. Her 6-under total of 136 is one stroke better than 2019 champion Jeongeun Lee6.

Two others — American professional Megan Khang and Ganne — are two strokes back.

Mel Reid, the first round co-leader, slipped to tied-6th with a second round of 73 after a first round 73.

Major champion Shanshan Feng is three off the lead at 138, while Park, major champion Lexi Thompson and Reid are tied at 2-under 140.

Oklahoma State standout Maja Stark of Sweden is tied for ninth at 1-under 141. Stanford freshman and world No. 2 Rachel Heck (147), who won the NCAA individual title two weeks ago, also made the cut, as did all-American Gurleen Kaur (144).

Ganne, a semi-finalist in the 2019 US Women’s Amateur and a four-time Drive, Chip & Putt national finalist, received Twitter messages from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy among others. The teen is trying to find time to complete a calculus assignment, as her classes don’t end until June 24.

She is bidding to join Catherine Lacoste of France (1967), the lone amateur winner of the tournament.

After shooting a 67 to share the 18-hole lead with Reid, Ganne continued her whirlwind week with an even-par 71, a round that saw her convert a 9-foot par putt on No. 8.

As many as 66 players with 62 professionals and four amateurs made the 36-hole cut of 6-over 147.

Jennifer Kupcho registered the championship’s 32nd known hole-in-one, using a 9-iron on the 134-yard 13th hole. While A Lim Kim (7-over 149) became the first defending champion since Sung Hyun Park (2018) to miss the cut. New source PTI