Epson Tour Rookie and four-time Stanford All-American Megha Ganne is set to compete in her first regular season LPGA Tour event as a professional this week at The Standard Portland Classic, taking place Aug. 13-16 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.
Ganne is competing in the event on a tournament sponsor invitation via winning the 2026 Inkster Award presented by Workday, recognizing the highest-ranked women’s Division I (DI) collegiate golfer in her final year of eligibility for the 2025-26 college golf season. Ganne finished her collegiate career at Stanford ranked fourth overall in the NCAA DI Women’s Clippd rankings, capped off by clinching the winning point to secure Stanford’s 2026 team national championship.
The Inkster Award presented by Workday is named after Juli Inkster, a World Golf Hall of Fame member and LPGA legend who was a three-time All-American at San José State (1979-1982). Inkster elected not to turn professional until finishing her four-year commitment to her school, winning 17 individual titles during her college career.
“I have followed Megha’s career since she was a junior golfer and throughout her time at Stanford, she is an incredible athlete and an even better person who is going to do great things in professional golf,” said Inkster. “I look forward to continuing to mentor her as she kicks off her career and navigates this next stage in her professional and personal journeys.
“Thank you to my friends at The Standard Portland Classic for awarding Megha with a tournament sponsor invitation to showcase her talents against the game’s best players,” continued Inkster. “This tournament has a special place in my heart. Not only as one of the longest-running events on the LPGA Tour, but also as a past champion, where I secured my entry into LPGA Hall-of-Fame.”
Ganne will be a part of the 144-player field competing at The Standard Portland Classic, the longest running tournament on the LPGA Tour outside of the major championships, celebrating its 55th year and 40th at Columbia Edgewater Country Club. The 72-hole tournament features a $2 million purse and broadcast coverage on the Golf Channel for all four rounds. The event has raised over $18 million for a variety of local organizations since its inception.
“I’m excited to tee it up against the best on the LPGA Tour this week in representing Juli Inkster as the Inkster Award presented by Workday winner,” said Ganne. “Juli is a player and a friend that I have long looked up to and aspire to follow in her footsteps. Thank you Juli, Workday and The Standard Portland Classic for giving me this opportunity.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Megha to The Standard Portland Classic and to celebrate her as this year’s Juli Inkster Award winner,” said Amy Malagamba, vice president of Marketing at The Standard. “This exemption reflects what makes the Portland Classic so special — honoring the legacy of women’s golf while creating meaningful opportunities for the next generation of players. We’re proud to provide a stage where fans in Portland can see her compete alongside the world’s best.”
Ganne, who graduated from Stanford University in June, was a four-time All-American as a member of the Cardinal women’s golf team. She helped lead Stanford to two national championships during her collegiate career (2024 and 2026). The 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, Ganne turned professional following graduation, making her professional debut at the U.S. Women’s Open. She is a rookie on the Epson Tour, earning status via finishing as the top-ranked DI women’s collegiate golfer in the LPGA Collegiate Advancement Pathway program. She has two top-15 finishes since joining the Epson Tour, highlighted by a sixth-place finish at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship.
As a result of winning the 2026 Inkster Award, Ganne receives:
- Sponsor invitation to compete in the 2026 The Standard Portland Classic (Aug. 13-16) at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.
- As a presenting sponsor of the Inkster Award, Workday is providing $50,000 to the Juli Inkster Foundation to help support Ganne’s continued transition to her professional golf career. The $50,000 will support Ganne’s mentorship retreat with Inkster and assist with her travel expenses.
- Ganne will join Inkster on a two-day mentorship retreat.
