11 Year Old Qualifies for Women's Open

[Gary Sato]

I'll admit that I didn't think she would break 90.  Kudos.

Gary, just curious, why?  She earned her way to the tournament, killing the competition as I recall. 

She's only 11 and hits it 50-75 yards behind the other women.  Also the greens, she plays on poa annua in California and doubt she will see greens speeds and undulations like Pinehurst unless she practices at Pasatiempo.  Putting on Bermuda is different.

Lastly, this is the big stage and the players are slightly better than her competition in Northern California. . 

[Jim Nugent]

Even if all that's true, you thought that meant she would shoot 15 or more strokes higher than much of the field?  In that case, the USGA would need to drastically redo its qualification process. 

[David_Tepper]

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/6/19/video-lucy-li-shoots-78-eats-ice-cream-in-her-interview.html

[John Crowley]

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/6/19/video-lucy-li-shoots-78-eats-ice-cream-in-her-interview.html

Just watched the interview.
The most refreshing uninhibited golf interview ever.
Granted she is 11 years old and not a professional grinding for a living.
More poise and better verbal skills than a high percentage of PGA Tour members.

[David_Tepper]

"More poise and better verbal skills than a high percentage of PGA Tour members."

John Crowley -

I agree completely. In addition, she probably has more poise and better verbal skills than a high percentage of GCA-ers!

DT

[jeffwarne]

"You gotta like the golf course man"

[David_Tepper]

"She's way better than I was expecting."

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/06/lucy-li-at-us-womens-open-shes.html

[Scott Szabo]

"Today Lucy Li shot 78 with 2 doubles and a triple.  She also made 2 birdies."

She also posted a better score than Jessica Korda & Natalie Gulbis!

Enough said.  She has every right to be there.

[jeffwarne]

How many people were questioning the other qualifier(s) from her site who she beat by 7 shots

It's an Open-shoot the score-you're in.
This isn't Michelle Wie playing her 10th men's event as a 14 year old side show on a sponsor's exemption
.

This is someone who qualified
She qualified for the US Amateur last year at 10
She qualified for the US Publinx last year at 10

She has not qualified for the US Junior
which has to be some kind of record

[Wade Whitehead]

We watched her play today.

She hit a fairway metal of some sort into number 8 and had no prayer of holding the green.  With a pin cut right on the left edge of the green, she hit her approach long and right.

She played a beautiful pitch to about eight feet and made the putt.

It was a joy to see, especially with my twelve-year-old daughter.

A man behind me said "I'm not sure she should be here."  I turned and said "Sir, who should be?"  He replied "Good point," and offered no other name.

WW

[jeffwarne]

Nice Wade.
In any US Open, men or women, there are many who have no shot at winning, or realistically of breaking 75.
That happens at at Open and it is one of the fascinating things about ALL the majors, for various qualifying reasons.
the only people who don't like that are the 100thish ranked players who didn't get in, but honestly who cares (besides them) if they get in?
That's called the TPC

[Wade Whitehead]

After the round, when Lucy Li's caddy was asked to describe the spot from which she got up and down on eight (behind the green and closer, actually, to the ninth tee), he simply said "We could have ordered a lemonade from there."

WW

[JLahrman]

I loved the interview. What a badass.

[Keith Doleshel]

I'm so happy that Lucy proved, at least for one day, that she belonged playing in the golf tournament she qualified for.  She held her own on a golf course where much higher scores were out there.  I see nothing negative about the experience she is having right now.  Her game held up admirably on a very difficult stage.  I get to see her practice on a fairly regular basis, know how mature she is for an 11 year old, and expected her to be in the 70s today.  Her interview was classic too.  Good job, Lucy.

[Dan Herrmann]

No doubt that she'd beat me 99.5 times out of 100