Lucy Li
Lucy Li | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LPGA Tour | |||||||||
Former tour(s) | Epson Tour | ||||||||
Professional wins | 2 | ||||||||
Number of wins by tour | |||||||||
Epson Tour | 2 | ||||||||
Best results in LPGA major championships | |||||||||
Chevron Championship | T54: 2023 | ||||||||
Women's PGA C'ship | 79th: 2023 | ||||||||
U.S. Women's Open | T16: 2021 | ||||||||
Women's British Open | DNP | ||||||||
Evian Championship | CUT: 2023 | ||||||||
Medal record
|
Lucy Li (born October 1, 2002) is an American professional golfer. She currently holds records as the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women's Amateur and the U.S. Women's Open. She is the second-youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, and the youngest ever to advance to match play in that event. Li was an age group winner at the inaugural Masters Drive, Chip, and Putt Championship in Augusta, Georgia. As of 2014, she is a student of Jim McLean.
Background
Born in
Li took
Amateur career
Li holds record for youngest match-play qualifier in U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links history (10 years, 8 months, 16 days), surpassing
She is also the youngest U.S. Women's Amateur qualifier,[6] surpassing Latanna Stone's 2012 record age of 10 years, 11 months and 2 days by beginning the first day of the tournament at age 10 years, 10 months and 4 days old on August 5, 2013.[9]
In 2014, at the first ever Drive, Chip and Putt Championship on the Sunday preceding the 78th edition Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, she won the Girls 10–11 age division.[11][12] The event was televised on the Golf Channel and was sponsored by the United States Golf Association, Professional Golfers' Association of America and Augusta National to increase youth participation in the sport.[12][13] Over 10,000 youth from over 110 sites participated in a qualification process that yielded 88 qualifiers from 8 age/gender brackets from each of 11 regions.[14]
On May 19, 2014, she became the youngest (age 11) to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open, surpassing Thompson's record (12 years, 4 months, 18 days) from the 2007 Open.[15] Notably, Li not only qualified, but she won her qualifying event by seven strokes at Old Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links.[8] Thompson missed the cut in 2007 with a 36-hole 168 total.[16] Li was the second-youngest to compete;[17] nine years prior to the introduction of qualification in 1976,[8] Beverly Klass played in the 1967 Open at age 10 years, 7 months, and 21 days.[8] Although Li's qualification was largely heralded, some were befuddled at the state of the sport when a sixth grader could even qualify for one of the most prestigious events of the year.[16] Li, who had reached a 1.5 handicap by April,[14] had a handicap better than threshold 2.4, making her eligible to participate in qualifications.[8]
Li was 11 years, 8 months, and 19 days on June 19, the opening round of the
In August 2016, Li won the Junior PGA Championship.[27][28] The following month, she was on the winning team for the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup.[29]
She earned low amateur honors at the 2017 ANA Inspiration by being the only amateur to make the cut.[30] She was named to the Junior Solheim Cup team for the United States,[31] who won 14.5–9.5.[32] In October she won The PING Invitational, and she won her next event, Rolex Tournament of Champions, in November.[33][34]
On May 14 at the Contra Costa Country Club,
At the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, Li teamed with Akshay Bhatia to win the mixed team silver medal.
In 2019, the USGA investigated Li's amateur status after she appeared in an Apple Watch advertisement. Rule 6:2 states: "even if no payment or compensation is received, an amateur golfer is deemed to receive a personal benefit by promoting, advertising or selling anything, or allowing his name or likeness to be used by a third party for the promotion, advertisement or sale of anything. A person who acts contrary to the rules may forfeit his amateur status and as a result will be ineligible to play in amateur competitions."[45][46] She was given a warning but maintained her amateur status.[47]
Li was named to the 2019 Junior Solheim Cup team.[48]
Professional career
Li turned professional in late 2019 when she was 17 years old.
Li's first USGA event as a professional was the U.S. Women's Open where she finished in a tie for 16th place at Olympic Club on June 6, 2021. This has been Li's best finish in a LPGA major event to date, and the $84,000 in prize money more than doubled her career tournament earnings.
Li's first professional victory on the Epson Tour came in a playoff with an eagle 3 on the first hole at Kinston Country Club's Carolina Golf Classic on June 12, 2022.[50] She picked up her second win a month later at the Twin Bridges Championship in Albany, New York.[51]
Li was the first Epson Tour player in 2022 to qualify for LPGA Tour who was then granted two consecutive LPGA sponsor exemptions in August. By finishing in the top-10 at the second event (
Li's second start as a full-time LPGA member occurred in April 2023 when she finished 18th at the
Li captured her first LPGA top-10, as a member January 28, 2024 in her first event of the season, finishing in fourth place at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Bradenton Country Club in Bradenton, Florida.
Amateur wins
- 2016 Junior PGA Championship
- 2017 The PING Invitational, Rolex Tournament of Champions
Source:[55]
Professional wins (2)
Epson Tour wins (2)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up | Winner's share ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jun 12, 2022 | Carolina Golf Classic | 66-68-62-69=265 | −19 | Playoff | Alexa Pano | 30,000 |
2 | Jul 10, 2022 | Twin Bridges Championship | 66-68-69=203 | −10 | 4 strokes | Linnea Ström | 30,000 |
LPGA Tour career summary
Year | Tournaments played |
Cuts made* |
Wins | 2nds | 3rds | Top 10s |
Best finish |
Earnings ($) |
Money list rank |
Scoring average |
Scoring rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | CUT | n/a | n/a | 78.00 | n/a |
2015 | Did not play | ||||||||||
2016 | Did not play | ||||||||||
2017 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T70 | n/a | n/a | 73.75 | n/a |
2018 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T55 | n/a | n/a | 74.17 | n/a |
2019 | Did not play | ||||||||||
2020 | Did not play | ||||||||||
2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T13 | n/a | n/a | 71.38 | n/a |
2022 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | T4 | n/a | n/a | 69.85 | n/a |
2023 | 21 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T18 | 177,024 | 104 | 72.46 | 119 |
Totals^ | 21 (2023) | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T18 | 177,024 | 591 |
^ official as of 2023 season[56][57][58]
* Includes matchplay and other tournaments without a cut.
World ranking
Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.
Year | World ranking |
Source |
---|---|---|
2017 | 845 | [59] |
2018 | 678 | [60] |
2019 | 993 | [61] |
2020 | 557 | [62] |
2021 | 279 | [63] |
2022 | 139 | [64] |
2023 | 185 | [65] |
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Junior Ryder Cup: 2016 (winners), 2018 (winners)
- Junior Solheim Cup: 2017 (winners), 2019 (winners)
- Curtis Cup: 2018 (winners)
Source:[55]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kroichick, Ron (June 18, 2014). "Redwood Shores 6th-grader to tee it up at U.S. Women's Open". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
- ^ Kroichick, Ron (May 20, 2014). "Redwood Shores' Lucy Li, age 11, makes history by reaching U.S. Women's Open". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c Mell, Randall (May 22, 2014). "Li, 11, has been turning heads for several years". Golf Channel. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
- ^ Bamberger, Michael (June 20, 2014). "At 11, Lucy Li's Success is Joyful and Anything but Elementary". Golf.com. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
- ^ a b Crouse, Karen (June 17, 2014). "11 Years Old, in the Open, and Carefree: Lucy Li Turns Back the Clock on U.S. Women's Open Field". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Shefter, David (April 4, 2014). "Li, 11, To Be In National Spotlight Again". United States Golf Association. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- Golf Week. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mickey, Lisa D. (May 20, 2014). "Li Qualifies for U.S. Women's Open, at 11". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ a b Kroichick, Ron (July 12, 2013). "Amateur adventures: Lucy Li (age 10!) qualifies for Women's Amateur and Bryson DeChambeau wins Trans-Miss". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ^ Mandell, Nina (May 20, 2014). "Meet the 11-year-old who qualified for the U.S. Women's Open". USA Today. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ Murray, Ewan (May 20, 2014). "Lucy Li joins youth club with US Women's Open record, aged 11". The Guardian. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ^ a b Kroichick, Ron (April 6, 2014). "Redwood City's Lucy Li, 11, wins at Augusta National". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ^ Kroichick, Ron (March 26, 2014). "Tiger's ailing back undermines his hopes in favorite event". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ a b Kroichick, Ron (April 4, 2014). "Lucy Li, 11, prepares to drive, chip and putt at Augusta National". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ "Lucy Li, 11, qualifies for U.S. Open". ESPN. May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ^ a b Wharton, David (May 20, 2014). "Golf world abuzz with 11-year-old Lucy Li's U.S. Women's Open entry". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ "@usopengolf status update". U.S. Women's Open. May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ^ Johnson, E. Michael (June 4, 2014). "Naturally 11-year-old Lucy Li will play some blinged-out clubs at the Women's Open (Video)". Golf Digest. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ^ "Lucy Li, 11, has 78 at women's Open". ESPN. June 19, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- ^ "Lucy Li scorecard". LPGA Tour. June 20, 2014. Archived from the original on June 22, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- ^ "Lucy Li finishes Open at 16-over par". ESPN. June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
- Charlotte Observer. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
- ^ DiMeglio, Steve (June 20, 2014). "Lucy Li, 11, shoots 78 and misses U.S. Women's Open cut". USA Today. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
- ^ Achenbach, James (July 16, 2014). "Li shines again before exiting Women's Publinx". Golfweek. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ^ Herrington, Ryan (August 4, 2014). "The year's most talked about women's amateur is missing the year's biggest women's amateur event (Don't worry, it's a good thing)". Golf Digest.
- ^ Fields, Bill (July 8, 2015). "Still Precocious, Lucy Li Brings Back Memories – And A Smile". ESPN. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
- ^ "13-year-old Lucy Li wins Junior PGA Championship". ESPN. Associated Press. August 12, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
- PGA of America. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
- ^ Strege, John (September 29, 2016). "Lucy Li helps U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team win its fifth straight". Golf Digest. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
- ^ Nichols, Beth Ann (April 1, 2017). "Despite tough finish, 14-year-old Lucy Li makes cut at ANA Inspiration". Golfweek. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ Casey, Kevin (July 6, 2017). "Lucy Li among 10 selected to U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team". Golfweek. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ^ "Women's Golf's Papp, Team USA claim 2017 Junior Solheim Cup". TexasSports.com. August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
- ^ "Garrett Barber, Lucy Li Capture AJGA Rolex TOC". Amateurgolf.com. November 23, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ^ Herrington, Ryan (November 26, 2017). "The latest teen prodigy in golf, Lucy Li, remains a prodigy now that she's become comfortably a teen". Golf Digest. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ^ Kroichick, Ron (May 15, 2018). "Lucy Li, now 15, lands spot in U.S. Women's Open". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ Levins, Keely (May 31, 2018). "Lucy Li no longer a novelty in her second U.S. Women's Open". Golf World. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- Golf Week. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- Golf Week. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ Brandt, David (June 3, 2018). "Jutanugarn wins US Women's Open on fourth playoff hole". Times Herald-Record. Associated Press. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ "Eight of USA's Best Set for 2018 Curtis Cup". United States Golf Association. April 17, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
- ^ "Kristen Gillman leads U.S. singles blowout in Curtis Cup". ESPN. Associated Press. June 11, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
- ^ "Lucy Li makes history with medal double". San Francisco Chronicle. August 7, 2018.
- ^ "Kristen Gillman defeats Lucy Li on 19th hole to advance to semi-finals of US Women's Amateur". MSN. August 10, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ "Yealimi Noh, Lucy Li help U.S. retain Junior Ryder Cup". San Francisco Chronicle. September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ Mell, Randall (January 7, 2019). "Randall's Rant: Li's Apple ad opens a big can of worms for USGA". Golf Channel.
- ^ Herrington, Ryan (January 5, 2019). "USGA investigating whether amateur golfer Lucy Li violated status by appearing in Apple ad". Golf Digest. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
- ^ "Lucy Li keeps amateur status after warning from USGA". ESPN. Associated Press. February 14, 2019.
- ^ "European Ping Junior Solheim Cup Team Confirmed". LPGA. August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ a b Myers, Alex (November 6, 2019). "Former child phenom Lucy Li turns pro at 17, but why you won't see her full-time on the LPGA next season". Golf Digest.
- ^ "Lucy Li Earns First Epson Tour Win in a Playoff". Epson Tour. June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ Nichols, Beth Ann (July 11, 2022). "Lucy Li, 19, wins again on Epson Tour, virtually locks up LPGA card for 2023 season". Golfweek.
- ^ Duffy, Patricia (August 23, 2022). "Former child star Lucy Li clinches LPGA Tour card for 2023". Golf Channel.
- ^ "LIV Golf collides with European tour at Wentworth". USA Today. Associated Press. September 6, 2022.
- ^ Otto, Luke (December 3, 2023). "Lucy Li Looking to Keep Her Spot on the LPGA Tour". LPGA.
- ^ a b "Lucy Li". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ "Lucy Li results". LPGA. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ "Lucy Li stats". LPGA. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ "Career Money". LPGA. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 25, 2017.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 31, 2018.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 30, 2019.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 28, 2020.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 27, 2021.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 26, 2022.
- ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 25, 2023.
External links
- Lucy Li at the LPGA Tourofficial site
- Lucy Li at the Women's World Golf Rankings official site