Lucy Li Has Fun at U.S. Women’s Open

by Jeff Skinner

From afar Lucy Li’s scorecard may look like the youngster had a disappointing day. To the uninformed it may appear like an opening 8 over par 78 in the U.S. Women’s Open would mean a demoralizing start. But this is Lucy Li. A precocious eleven year old who isn’t here to make history but rather to have fun.

So even though she started her day with a double bogey 7 and had plenty of trouble on the Pinehurst No.2 course the youngest player ever to qualify for a Women’s Open didn’t let it bother her.

“It was a lot of fun. I kind of struggled today, but it was great,” she told the waiting media after her round.

She said going into this that she was here to have fun so she wasn’t too upset by her score, “My score, I’m happy with how I played. I mean, it’s 8-over, it’s not bad. But I was 7-over in three holes, so that’s 1-over in 15 holes. So, yeah. I just need to get rid of the big numbers.”

Starting on the back nine she finished with a par on eighteen for an opening 40 over her first nine. She settled down and finally carded her first birdie on the first hole but on the third blew up to a triple bogey. All told she carded 2 birdies, 10 pars, 3 bogeys, two doubles and one triple. It was an adventurous day for the Drive Chip & Putt Champion. 

Dressed head to toe in red, white and blue, Li drew the largest following of all the groups as she went further into her round. Asked why she chose her outfit for the day she said,” Because it’s the U.S. Open. I like red, white and blue, too.” Spoken like an true patriot.

She realizes just how tough this Donald Ross redesign is,” I just thought his golf courses are really tough. Some of the — even the shortest holes, if you’re not in the right place, you can get double, easily.”

She easily could have been discouraged after her rough start but liked the way she fought back,” Not really, but that’s what I was so happy about in my round, because after I got doubles and triples, I was able to get it back. Like I made a good stretch of holes after the double on the first hole. And after the triple, I birdied No. 5 — after I tripled No. 3, I birdied No. 5, and I got a lot of pars after that.”

At times she acted just like the pre-teen she is and would get comfortable and sit on the tees while she waited her turn,” Yeah, I normally sit down even more than that.”

Asked if she was nervous waiting to start she said,” Little bit. But I wasn’t that nervous. I just kind of pushed the ball, so whatever.”

Li finished tied with another golfer who gets an inordinate amount of media attention, Natalie Gulbis. With an afternoon off she was asked what she’ll do next,” Eat some more ice cream.”

Oh, the luxury of youth, we should all take note.