Lucy Li Bio
Lucy Li (born October 1, 2002) is an American professional golfer recognized for her record-setting junior career and her steady rise through the professional ranks. She holds the record as the youngest qualifier for both the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Women’s Open, achievements she accomplished at the age of 11 in 2014. Li continues to compete on the LPGA Tour and remains one of the most closely watched young players in women’s golf.
Born in Stanford, California, and raised across the Bay Area and South Florida, Li developed her game at a remarkable pace under the guidance of renowned coach Jim McLean. After a celebrated amateur career that included junior titles and appearances for the United States in team competitions, she turned professional in late 2019 at age 17. Since then, she has built her resume on the Epson Tour and the LPGA Tour, posting multiple top finishes and continuing to represent the next generation of American women’s golf.
Early Life and Background
Lucy Li was born in Stanford, California, and later lived in Redwood Shores, California, during her early competitive years. Her father, Warren Li, is a San Francisco Bay Area computer consultant and stockbroker who holds a Ph.D. in computer science. Her mother, Amy Zeng, is a former Hewlett-Packard employee with a master’s degree in the field. Both parents were raised in China before moving to the United States from Australia in 1998. Li also has an older brother, Luke, who attended Princeton University.
As a child, Li was active in a range of pursuits, including platform diving at Stanford University at the age of four, gymnastics, and music. According to her family, she first showed interest in golf at Mariners Point Golf Center around age four or five, where she trained informally with her mother and aunt. Li was homeschooled for much of her early career, balancing her education with travel for training and competition. She also took online courses at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in data analytics and psychology. In May 2025, Li graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a 4.0 GPA and summa cum laude honors while competing full time.
Path to Golf
At age seven, Li’s parents contacted Jim McLean, a coach known for working with Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr, Keegan Bradley, and Erik Compton, and arranged a visit to meet him at Trump National Doral in Miami. The family eventually set up summer living arrangements with Li’s aunt, Tao Zeng, in Florida, allowing Li to train at McLean’s Golf School for several months each year. Her primary practice course became Cinnabar Hills in San Jose, California. This dual-base training setup became a defining feature of her junior development.
Li quickly accumulated junior accolades. In 2013, she became the youngest U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier, surpassing Latanna Stone’s 2012 record. The following year, she won the Girls 10–11 age division at the inaugural Masters Drive, Chip, and Putt Championship at Augusta National Golf Club. These early achievements established her as one of the most promising young golfers in the country and set the stage for her historic U.S. Women’s Open qualification in 2014.
Lucy Li Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
Li’s competitive record began in 2013, when she qualified for both the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. She became the youngest match-play qualifier in U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links history at 10 years, 8 months, and 16 days, breaking a record previously held by Michelle Wie. By April 2014, she had reached a 1.5 handicap, making her eligible to enter U.S. Women’s Open qualifying.
On May 19, 2014, Li became the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open at age 11, surpassing Lexi Thompson’s previous mark. She won her qualifying event by seven strokes at the Old Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links. At the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst Resort, Li opened with rounds of 78 and 78 to miss the cut by seven strokes, but her appearance drew national attention. She followed that summer with a match-play appearance at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links.
Amateur Career Highlights (2015–2018)
In August 2016, Li won the Junior PGA Championship and later helped the United States win the Junior Ryder Cup. In 2017, she earned low amateur honors at the ANA Inspiration as the only amateur to make the cut, was named to the Junior Solheim Cup team, and won both The PING Invitational and the Rolex Tournament of Champions.
Li qualified for the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open and finished tied for 55th, one of seven amateurs to make the cut. She represented the United States at the 2018 Curtis Cup, helping the team win by the widest margin in the event’s history, and won her singles match against India Clyburn 5 and 4. At the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur, she was co-medalist and earned the number one seed for match play before losing in the quarterfinals. She also teamed with Akshay Bhatia to win a mixed team silver medal at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. In 2019, the USGA investigated her amateur status after she appeared in an Apple Watch advertisement, but she received only a warning.
Professional Career (2019–Present)
Li turned professional in late 2019 at age 17 and held status on the Symetra Tour from 2020 through 2022. Her first USGA event as a professional was the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, where she finished tied for 16th at Olympic Club. In 2022, she earned her first professional victory on the Epson Tour at the Carolina Golf Classic, winning in a playoff with an eagle on the first extra hole, and added a second Epson Tour win a month later at the Twin Bridges Championship.
By late summer 2022, Li had qualified for the LPGA Tour and earned consecutive sponsor exemptions. She finished fourth at the Dana Open, her third consecutive LPGA start, after leading through the second and third rounds. In 2023, she made 19 of 25 cuts and posted a T-17 finish at LPGA Q-school to secure improved status for 2024. In 2024, she opened her season with a fourth-place finish at the LPGA Drive On Championship and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open with rounds of 67 and 67. At the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, she shot a 60 in the final round, including three eagles, and finished second in a playoff, her best LPGA result to date.
Notable Events and Milestones
Li’s most defining moment remains her 2014 U.S. Women’s Open qualification, where she became the youngest player ever to make the field. Her 60 at the 2024 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, featuring three eagles in a single round, ranks among the rarest scoring feats in modern professional golf. She is also one of the few players to medal at the Youth Olympic Games while still in her junior career.
Lucy Li Career Wins
Lucy Li has compiled two verified professional victories on the Epson Tour, both in 2022, along with multiple prestigious amateur titles including the 2016 Junior PGA Championship, the 2017 Rolex Tournament of Champions, and the 2017 PING Invitational. She has also earned team honors with the United States in the Junior Ryder Cup, Junior Solheim Cup, and Curtis Cup.
Professional Tour Highlights
Li’s first professional win came at the 2022 Carolina Golf Classic at Kinston Country Club, where she won in a playoff with an eagle on the first extra hole. A month later, she captured the Twin Bridges Championship in Albany, New York, becoming the first Epson Tour player in 2022 to qualify for the LPGA Tour. She later recorded her best LPGA result with a runner-up finish at the 2024 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond her Epson Tour victories, Li’s amateur record includes the 2013 and 2014 junior records at USGA events, the inaugural Drive, Chip, and Putt Girls 10–11 title at Augusta National, and a mixed team silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. She has represented the United States in three major team competitions, contributing to decisive victories in each.
Lucy Li Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Li comes from a highly educated family with deep Chinese roots. Her father, Warren Li, is a computer consultant and stockbroker with a Ph.D. in computer science, and her mother, Amy Zeng, is a former Hewlett-Packard employee with a master’s degree. Both parents moved to the United States from Australia in 1998, and the family has supported Li’s golf career through flexible living arrangements between California and Florida.
Personal Life
Li splits her time between her family base in California and tournament locations around the world. Her aunt, Tao Zeng, has been a central figure in her development, hosting her in Florida for several months each year during her junior years. Li completed her degree at the University of Pennsylvania in May 2025, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA in data analytics and psychology. She is currently based in Sacramento, California.
2025 Season Performance
Lucy Li’s 2025 season on the LPGA Tour has been marked by consistency and a clutch late-season push. She made 19 of 25 cuts, with her standout result a T4 finish at The Annika. Solid play throughout the year kept her in contention for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, an event reserved for the top 60 players on the money list.
Entering the final qualifying event needing a T4, Li delivered under pressure. After opening with a 70, she followed with rounds of 65, 65, and 66, including a birdie on the 72nd hole. The closing stretch moved her from a projected 61st position to 58th, locking in her place in the CME Group Tour Championship. The performance underscored her growing comfort at the top level of the LPGA Tour.
Looking ahead, Li’s mix of competitive experience, recent form, and academic background positions her as a player to watch in the seasons ahead. With multiple top finishes already secured and her status on tour secured through strong Q-school play, she enters the next phase of her career with momentum and a clear pathway to consistent contention.