11-year-old Lucy Li is youngest qualifier for the U.S. Open

World Today

Lucy Li recently made history in the sporting world when she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Although she missed the cut, she’ll likely have plenty of chances in the future. CCTV America’s Mark Niu reports.

At 11 years-old, Chinese-American Lucy Li is the youngest golfer in history to have qualified for the U.S. Open. Today, Li’s becoming an honorary member of the Palo Alto Hills Golf Club. She is one of only two people to ever be granted the accolade.

Li can drive the ball 240 yards and typically shoots in the low 70s.

“Right now, I mostly focus on studying and stuff like that,” she said. “I’m doing a lot of other stuff, hanging out with friends and swimming and lots of reading. Lots and lots of reading… and I practice only a couple of days a week now.”

Li attends Stanford’s Education Program for Gifted Youth where she has so far earned straight As.

Her parents are from Chongqing, China, but she was born in Stanford, California.

“My mom, my dad, they are far from pushing me to do anything,” she said. “They can’t push me to do anything. Even if they tried to, they couldn’t.”

As a toddler, she appeared in a Home Depot Eco Program campaign, and a few years later at the age of seven, her family introduced her to golf.  A year later, she was winning tournaments, including the Junior Masters Championship in San Diego.

Li isn’t sure whether she will someday turn pro. Right now, she’s more focused on school and having fun.