The stunned leader at the US Women's Open thinks her apartment has been haunted

LANCASTER, Pa. – Sleeping through the third round is hard enough for any professional. Add to that the pressures of a major tournament, and many players don't get a full night's rest before the big days of their careers.

Wichanee Meechai falls into both categories after she shot her third consecutive round in the 60s on Saturday at Lancaster Country Club to share the lead at 54 at the US Women's Open with Minjee Lee and Andrea Lee at five under.

But Meechai, who advanced to his fourth US Open (and first in three years), may not be able to sleep for a different reason Saturday night. He thinks there might be a ghost in his rental house.

The 31-year-old Thai player revealed on Friday night after leading 36 holes that he thought his week-long home might be under attack, but informed reporters on Saturday that there had been little movement the night before.

“I can't say I'm not afraid of you, but I'll get along well with the ghost,” said Meechai. “I try not to say anything when I hear something, so I just try to be normal.”

Meechai is a Buddhist and said that he actually believes in ghosts. In Tibetan Buddhist culture, when a person dies, they can enter the ghost world after a period of uncertainty.

It's something Meechai said he has talked about before, explaining that there is something in his religion that is like a shadow world.

His manager even offered to spend the night with him in a rented house to make him more comfortable, but Meechai refused and said that he was just trying to get along with a potential guest. However, he said he will wear a Buddhist necklace to protect himself when he sleeps.

“You're like a monk or something you respect and you just put it around your neck, I put it around my neck when I sleep, so I think it should be okay,” she said.

World No. 158 has never been in a situation like this before. Meechai's best career finish on the LPGA Tour is T5 at the 2021 Pure Silk Championship. Despite a T7 finish three weeks ago at the Cognizant Founders Cup, he has yet to finish in the top 20 in his six other starts this season.

But this week at Lancaster, he is one of just two golfers to break 70 in all three rounds. So if there is a supernatural spirit residing in his house this week, that may give him the creativity he needs to capture his triumphant success.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A native of Pennsylvania, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was the captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as the head coach. Jack is also *still* trying to stay competitive with the local novices. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a reporter/multimedia reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting weather. He can be reached at [email protected].