Hannah Darling left trailing as American golfer cards best-ever ANWA round

Scottish No 1 Hannah Darling sits 12 shots off the lead after American Megha Ganne carded the best-ever round in the short history of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Ganne, one of eight Stanford University players in the field for the event’s sixth edition, opened with a blistering nine-under-par 63 at Champions Retreat in Georgia.

The bogey-free effort, which was illuminated by an eagle at the par-5 third - her 12th hole of the day after starting at the tenth - beat the previous record set in 2023 by Rose Zhang by two shots.

It left Ganne, who is playing in the tournament for the fifth time, holding a two-shot lead over England’s Lottie Woad after the defending champion opened with an impressive eight-birdie salvo.

Megha Ganne of United States is congratulated by the her caddie Brooke Riley after scoring a record 63 in the first round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club | ANWA

“I had a feeling I was going to go low but not this low,” said Ganne of her career-best round. “It was a really good day and I am just trying to enjoy it. I had one long par save but then most of my other birdie putts were under 20 feet.”

After having to settle for a 75, Darling, who is playing in the event for the fourth time and finished seventh 12 months ago, sits 55th in the battle to be in the top 30 and ties after the second circuit and progress to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National.

The 21-year-old Broomieknowe and University of South Carolina player dropped two early shots before getting them back before the turn but then followed a bogey at the 15th with a double-bogey 5 at the 17th.

“Obviously not how I wanted the day to go, but, overall, I felt like I hit a lot of good shots, just maybe wasn't fully rewarded for all of them,” said Darling. “But that's golf, and tomorrow's a new day. So excited to get out here tomorrow.”

Woad, the Smyth Salver winner in last year’s AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews, sits two shots ahead of a group of three players on five under.