Teenagers Ganne, Avery Spark U.S. to Big Lead at Curtis Cup

Megha Ganne and Amari Avery enjoyed a highlight-reel victory that included a clutch chip-in. They help put the U.S. in control at the Curtis Cup.

ARDMORE, Pa. — The Curtis Cup is a different kind of experience and a good one for golf. Inscribed on the cup are the words, “To stimulate friendly rivalry among the women golfers of many lands."

That was never more evident than when Amari Avery and Megha Ganne reacted to their win for the U.S. in the Friday morning four-ball.

Avery and Ganne are both 18 years old. Avery just finished her freshman year as a University of Southern California Trojan and Ganne is wrapping her senior year of high school and will be off to Stanford University in the fall.

And on the day when Ganne won her first career Curtis Cup point, she disclosed it was in lieu of her senior prom, which is tonight back in New Jersey.

As the USA duo stood waiting to talk to the press after their win over GB&I’s Carley McGinty and Lauren Walsh, they were scouring their phones looking at highlights, and specifically searching for Ganne’s chip-in on the 8th hole.

They were giddy, just as you would expect two teenagers to be after winning the first point for a U.S. team that is trying to retain the cup after a win in Wales last year.

“It was my chip-in on 8,” A smiling Ganne said of her favorite shot on Friday. “So, I was pretty mad when I missed the green with like a 54-degree wedge and I was walking up to my ball and I saw that the lie was good and I said, 'Amari, should I chip this in?' And Amari said, 'Why not?' And then I did, and we got hyped. That was my one goal going into the week was to hole out from off the green at the Curtis Cup, and I did.”

Avery said she went airborne when the ball rolled in, and Ganne elaborated on why it was a goal for her to chip in this week.

“That's what gets the crowd going,” Ganne said of her motivation. “It's exciting. It's exciting for me. Amari was jumping up in the air. It's just the best feeling when you do that, especially in a match play format.”

Smiling and laughing, the U.S. pair could not have enjoyed the morning more.

It’s such a contrast to what is happening in London this week, with golf as we know it under siege. Watching Avery and Ganne instilled a little normalcy and hope for golf.

“To think that I would have potentially passed this up and not gotten this experience, I don't know what I'd do,” Avery said of staying in school rather than turning pro. “I mean, because I've always wanted to turn pro, and that's been my dream for forever. But I don't see the point in rushing to get out there. I think it'll always be there.”

Avery went on to say that she understood that playing Curtis Cup goes away at some point and experiencing this with her closest friends is truly cool.

Ganne didn’t play in the afternoon foursomes but got into the television booth and finally got to see her chip-in on the 8th.

“I’ve been waiting all day to see this,” Ganne said on air.

She got her wish and more as USA took a commanding 5 – 1 lead. They need only five points to retain the cup.