CHARLESTON, S.C. -- For the 17 teenage amateurs playing in the 74th U.S. Women's Open at the Country Club of Charleston, their scores will be in the record book forever. Whatever the numbers -- low, high or something in between -- they will be symbols of a week that is equal parts seminar, stepping stone and fun field trip.
Jessica Korda, an LPGA standout who finished 36 holes at 5-under 137, recalled what it was like when she made her Open debut as a 15-year-old at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minnesota, in 2008.
"So many memories," Korda said. "I remember just walking into the locker room, my eyes so big and wide, and I was just literally taking every single moment in."
Despite the awe of the occasion, Korda tied for 17th, a commendable performance for anyone, much less someone too young to get a driver license.
There are four golfers 15 or younger competing this week, the youngest being Alexa Pano, 14, who shot 75-74 to miss the cut. "It's been so much fun," said Pano, who was fighting her swing in the first round. "It's obviously one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world."
Through 36 holes, one of the older teens, Gina Kim, 19, has grabbed the spotlight. Kim followed her first-round 66, which tied the U.S. Women's Open mark for low round by an amateur, with a 72 Friday that put her at 4-under 138 and within close proximity of the lead.
Kim's 36-hole total matches the second lowest by an amateur in the event's history, 1 stroke higher than Grace Park's record set in 1999.
A rising sophomore at Duke whose parents are professors at North Carolina, Kim has utilized advice from several Blue Devils men's basketball stars, including RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson, to get off to a great start this week after missing the cut in her first Open last year.
"They talked to me about competition, what their mindset is like," Kim said. "I was curious how they were able to handle so much pressure when literally everybody is looking at them and judging everything that they do."
Kim helped the Duke women's golf team win the NCAA championship earlier this month, but she said she struggles with nerves at big events. Barrett convinced her that thorough preparation was enough.
"He said, 'Gina, you practice every day for hours, hitting the same shot millions of times. I'm pretty sure you can go out there and hit a million and one times,'" Kim said, recalling the conversation. "'You know how to do, you just have to trust the work and keep believing and have fun.'"
To further a mellow on-course attitude, Kim also is following the lead of one of her golf heroes, Tiger Woods, who chewed gum as he won the 2019 Masters, his first major victory in 11 years.
"I get really nervous, so normally I start picking off the callus on the side of my thumb," Kim said. "So I need something. I saw Tiger chewing gum at the Masters. I was like, 'Mom, I'm chewing gum.' And it actually helps me focus and stay a little more calm. Some type of berry [flavor]. It's really good."
"I gained what I wanted when I came here -- I wanted to learn from the best. I think it was a great first U.S. Open. I'm sure it will be the first of many." 15-year-old Megha Ganne
The Open's young competitors were helped into the right frame of mind Monday night at an amateur dinner, where Beth Daniel was one of the speakers. A Charleston native, World Golf Hall of Fame member and honorary co-chair of the championship, Daniel, 62, grew up at a time when teens weren't diving into the deep end of competition as quickly as the current generation. Daniel didn't play in the U.S. Women's Open until she received an exemption for winning the 1975 U.S. Amateur, the first of her two titles in that event.
"One of the things I told the players was no matter what happens this week, this is an unbelievable experience," Daniel said. "One of those young players, Megha Ganne, great kid. She's going to be a world-beater one of these days. But she's 15. You forget that. Just enjoy the experience, learn from it and become better from there."
Ganne, finishing her freshman year at Holmdel (New Jersey) High School, took Daniel's message to heart. A four-time national finalist in the Drive, Chip & Putt competition at Augusta National Golf Club, Ganne battled some nerves early in the first round en route to an 81 but birdied her 18th hole Friday to shoot 72.
"It was just overwhelming the first couple of holes yesterday," Ganne said after the second round. "I was missing greens from 100 yards. I know that's not me. There wasn't really a point I thought I wasn't good enough, but I definitely need to deal with the nerves better. I gained what I wanted when I came here -- I wanted to learn from the best. I think it was a great first U.S. Open. I'm sure it will be the first of many."
Ganne's fellow 15-year-old, Reagan Zibilski from Springfield, Missouri, wasn't able to produce such a dramatic turnaround from Thursday to Friday, shooting an 89-87 in her Open debut, but likewise learning lessons in her exposure to world-class competition.
"It was a great experience," said Zibilski, who signed autographs for several young girls on her way to the scoring area Friday. "I had a couple of rough days, but I took away so much."
She also left with a video clip of actor Bill Murray, who has a home in the area and was at the tournament Wednesday. "It was exciting meeting him -- super fun," Zibilski said. "It was my grandpa's birthday, and he gave him a shoutout on video."
After walking 36 holes as his daughter's caddie, Brad Zibilski had a shoutout of his own.
"You don't expect to be here so early," he said. "She's a lot better player than the scores reflected, and she'll be a lot better off for it. I can't imagine standing on the first tee at 15 years old and trying to pull off a shot."
Kim is a little older, but she will be trying to pull off more shots this weekend.
"I didn't want to get too ahead of myself," she said. "I was trying to make sure I kept it together to make the cut first. And then, you know, I can worry about other things the next two days."
