Lucy Li is a golf prodigy that became the youngest qualifier ever for the U.S. Women’s Open.

She shot 74-68 to win the Half Moon Bay sectional qualifier on May 19, 2014 at the age of 11 years 7 months 18 days besting the previous record held by Lexi Thompson at 12 years 7 months.

Li also set a record last year as the youngest woman to ever reach the match play portion of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. She was just seven days younger than Michelle Wie at 10 years 8 months 16 days old when she made it to the match play portion in 2000.

She also won the 10-11 age division in the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt competition held at Augusta National prior to the Masters in April.

Li has been helped along the way by the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA). The NCGA was formed in 1901 and sponsors junior golf in northern California. It hosts over 500 tournaments for its members annually and is responsible for starting a junior golf program that has helped thousands of California youth get started in golf.

As well as hosting junior tournaments the NCGA allows its junior members to play at golf courses for as little as $5 per round.   

Even though Li resides with her parents in Redwood Shores, California, she spends four months every year living with her aunt in southern Florida and trains at the Jim McLean Golf School at Trump National Doral.

McLean has also taught some other fairly talented golfers in the past, Lexi Thompson, Keegan Bradley and Christie Kerr.

Even though Li shot eight-over-par 78 in her first round over the difficult Pinehurst #2, she tied for 111th and bested 45 players in the 156-woman field.

She carded a second 78 on Friday to finish at 16-over-par for the two rounds and missed the cut by seven shots.

This week at Pinehurst was not about score. It is just another step along the road and a learning experience.

We will see Miss Li in many more U.S. Women’s Opens in the future.