13 Comments

1. 

   roland

   Jun 22, 2014 at 12:51 am

   Can you investigate her birth certificate? Also mention she trains at a Florida golf school 4 months out of the year. She no prodigy just a work horse without parental contact. Why not ask for proof of birth and why her parents answer no questions. In addition they have her dressing like a 5 year old with ice cream to poke our eyes but the facial hair give her away.
   I hope they investigate and find out its fraud and all her trophies are disqualified.

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2. 

   Jeremy Beale

   May 21, 2014 at 6:37 am

   People often forget what a young sport golf actually is and just because a young girl such as Li makes her grand opening at a major doesn’t change that fact.

   A person could say the trend started with 20-year-old Francis Ouimet and after his U.S. Open appearance they only got younger from there.

   I mean let’s look at the list:

   Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, recently Jordan Speith,last year at the Master’s Guan Tianlang and the list goes on.
   Then for the women:

   Lexi Thompson who won her first major before she even went to prom, Morgan Pressel, Jessica Korda and before Lucy Li there have been a few others as Ron mentioned who were 11-year-olds such as Michell Wie and last year’s phenom Latanna Stone.

   All-in-all whether Lucy Li is the youngest this year and another golfer is younger the next, this sport is built of the younger generations. As long as their are junior programs nurturing new talent each year, there will always be a young prodigy lurking, waiting to break this barrier. That can be guaranteed.

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   • 

     Ronald Montesano

     May 21, 2014 at 8:50 am

     Jeremy,

     Lexi Thompson won her first major this year, at the Kraft Nabisco. Since she is 19 and was home-schooled, I suspect that she either went to prom or has no plans to ever go.

     Now that that’s out of the way, this is a very cogent reply. The unknown “what’s ahead” always lurks. I remember making a case for Yani Tseng over Michelle Wie, dating back to Tseng’s victory over Wie at the USWAPL in 2004. For years, Wie struggled while Tseng tsoared. Now, Tseng seems burnt out while Wie seems to improve each year.

     I know that we can’t image a 10-year old qualifying for the amateur or professional major championships, but who knows where science and the goofy foods we eat today and tomorrow will take us!

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     • 

       Jeremy Beale

       May 29, 2014 at 5:01 pm

       I apologize for the miss information Ronald. I was trying to refer to when Lexi won her first event becoming the youngest to ever win on the LPGA Tour–which was a major victory in itself. Haha.

       A short time after, she led a Support the Troop Campaign where she tried to find a Prom date. He ended up being a young Marianne from our armed forces.

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       • 

         Jeremy Beale

         May 29, 2014 at 5:02 pm

         **Marine

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         • 

           Ronald Montesano

           Jun 1, 2014 at 8:52 am

           Jeremy,

           I suspected you meant that, but wanted to clarify before anyone else with less patience did so.

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3. 

   Ram

   May 21, 2014 at 3:57 am

   How does an 11 year old hit it far enough to break 100 on a USGA qualifying set-up? I’ve got a 9 year old that is the best 9 year old in town, but she can’t hit her driver more than a buck 50!

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   • 

     Frederik

     May 21, 2014 at 4:58 am

     An 11 year old could easily hit it 150 yards with a driver, and from the womens tees. it’s not that far in to the hole. Because if u play as good as she does, you’re probably a beast around the green, and can’t hit a ball OB. So she probably makes par on most holes, because of her being as straight as she might be.

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     • 

       Ronald Montesano

       May 21, 2014 at 7:34 am

       Frederik,

       If Lucy Li learned the game backward, from hole to tee deck, she has precisely what you describe as being “a beast around the green.”

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   • 

     Ronald Montesano

     May 21, 2014 at 7:33 am

     We’ll find out next month, won’t we? If a course is running fast and firm, as Pinehurst is expected to be, any distance variable will be minimized. I haven’t had the chance to see her play, but if you watch this video, you’ll get a sense of a swing in all the right places, at the proper times: http://nslog.com/2013/05/30/lucy_lis_golf_swing

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   • 

     Ronald Montesano

     Jun 1, 2014 at 8:51 am

     Ram,

     Imagine that you had a 9-year old back in 1984 in Cypress, California. He or she might have been pretty awesome, but there was also this kid named Tiger Woods. We might be privy to the development of one of the most unique female golfers of the new century (or not…doesn’t matter.) To compare “best in town” to “potential best of a generation” is unfair to both parties.

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4. 

   Trevor K

   May 20, 2014 at 10:24 pm

   Ecko went out of style before she was born.

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   • 

     Ronald Montesano

     May 21, 2014 at 2:23 am

     Thanks for the comment, Trevor. What is in style is her terrific course management and fearless ability to make birdies. I hope that she is parented well and given an opportunity to continue to balance her life.

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