PINEHURST, N.C. — Lucy Li’s friends back in California have been filling her inbox with emails.
PINEHURST, N.C. — Lucy Li’s friends back in California have been filling her inbox with emails.
That’s the only way they can reach her at the U.S. Women’s Open.
The 11-year-old is too young for a cellphone.
“They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re famous now,’” she said, laughing.
Li made quite an impression at Pinehurst No. 2 — even if she didn’t make it to the weekend. The youngest qualifier in the history of the tournament mostly held her own at the Women’s Open.
For the second straight day, a couple of rough holes proved to be her undoing.
Hurt by a double bogey and a triple bogey, Li shot her second straight 8-over 78.
According to her caddie, this week was never about her score.
“She was here for the experience and the opportunity to play with the best players in the world,” caddie Bryan Bush said. “She proved that she can.”
Li was 22 strokes behind leader Michelle Wie and 19 behind Lexi Thompson, who both know about playing the Women’s Open at a young age.
Wie’s first was in 2003 when she was 13. In 2007, Thompson became the youngest to qualify at age 12 — until Li supplanted her.
“I hope she’s having a blast out there,” Wie said.