Kaymer Stretches US Open Lead to 6 Shots
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SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2014 From childhood, golf was focus for Lucy Li SAN FRANCISCO: Jim McLean has coached child prodigies at his golf schools around the world for decades, so he thought he had seen just about every kind of young hopeful out there. Then came Lucy Li. The 11-year-old from the suburbs south of San Francisco became the youngest player to qualify for the US Women’s Open by winning the sectional at Half Moon Bay in California by seven strokes last month. Her journey to Pinehurst No 2 in North Carolina, where the tournament begins Thursday, is the quickest and most unique of anybody in the field. A sixth grader with braces and a sharp short game, Li’s fam- ily came to California from Hong Kong and she has been train- ing at McLean’s golf school in Miami since she was 7. As he has with many young golfers when they arrive, McLean gave her the Dr Seuss book, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” Li not only read the book. She memorized it. “She’s incredibly smart,” McLean said. “And an incredibly fast learner.” That much is clear. Little else about Li’s life is. Her family has declined interview requests, only issuing a statement through the USGA that she is honored to play in the prestigious tournament. Those who have watched Li’s rapid rise tell a story of a girl who skips down fairways and brings candy bars to club mem- bers, a focused competitor with a powerful swing and polished putting, and a youngster whose family has dedicated time and money to grow her game. McLean said Li is homeschooled through an online Stanford University program and spends the winter months training with him in Miami, where she is watched over by her aunt, Tao Zeng, an eye doctor. The rest of the time Li spends in Silicon Valley with her father, Warren Li, a computer consultant, and her mother, Amy Zeng, a former table tennis player who works in the technology industry, he said. Li’s brother, Luke, studies at Princeton. McLean said Li’s mother tried pushing her toward other activities such as music, ballet and aerobics. But Li’s brother played golf competitively, NORTH CAROLINA: Martin Kaymer of Germany hits his tee shot on the sixth hole during the second round of the 114th and she wanted to be just like him. “She started to like golf, US Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Course No 2 yesterday in Pinehurst, North Carolina. — AFP and then all she wanted to do was golf,” McLean said. “It didn’t come that easy for her. She worked.” Joby Ross is a golf instruc- tor at Mariners Point in Foster City, just a few short miles from Li’s home in Redwood Shores. Ross remembers Li’s brother Kaymer stretches US and cousin practicing at the course first, but the family later turned their attention to Li after she began whacking a few balls on the range while waiting for them to finish a tourna- ment. “They were very serious with her more than the other Open lead to 6 shots two,” Ross said. “Her mom and her aunt were always with her. They would use the practice and short-game area for hours on end. I’d see them in the morning and they’d bring a lunch with them, and they’d stop and have a little lunch break and contin- PINEHURST: Martin Kaymer took advantage of a rain-soft- round. Kaymer, who gained a major confidence boost from his ue practicing, chipping and pitching and they’d go onto our ened Pinehurst layout to stretch his overnight lead at the US victory at the elite Players Championship last month, has grass tee where they could hit shots. It was a pretty extensive Open to a commanding six shots with five holes to play in the played near-flawless golf at challenging Pinehurst over the last practice session for a young kid.” Ross had his concerns about second round yesterday. The 29-year-old German, three ahead two days in the year’s second major. whether Li’s family pushed her too hard at an early age. A few of the chasing pack after opening with a five-under-par 65 His opening 65 included six birdies and a lone bogey and times, he saw her having a tantrum with her mom and aunt. that he described as “exceptional”, birdied four of his first 13 the former world number one was error-free for his first 13 “She was crying and I asked, ‘What was the problem?’” Ross holes under sunny skies to move to nine under for the tourna- holes yesterday. With barely a breath of wind on Pinehurst’s recalled. “She seemed pretty frustrated and I thought, ‘Well, ment. That left him six strokes in front of his closest pursuers, fabled No. 2 Course which was softened by 0.64 inches of rain maybe they were making her be out there too long.’ And they burly Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge and long-hitting overnight, Kaymer birdied the 10th, 13th and 16th to reach said, ‘Oh, she’s just upset because we have to leave, and she American Dustin Johnson. the turn in three-under 32. Seeking a second major title after wants to stay.’” De Jonge, who had carded a 68 on Thursday, was one clinching his first in the 2010 PGA Championship, he picked up Hollis Kelley, an instructor at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club in San under for the day after 15 holes while Johnson, who opened another shot at the par-four third to forge six ahead of the Jose, said Li plays the course often when she is in California. He with a 69, was two under for his round with four holes remain- chasing pack before parring the fourth. World number one said Li is a favorite in the pro shop, where she often hands out ing. Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open Adam Scott, who had struggled with his short game on the Quaker Chewy chocolate chip granola bars to the staff. “For champion at Pebble Beach, and American Kevin Na were at way to an opening 73, was two under for the day after 13 her size, she has extraordinary power,” Kelley said. “Because of two under for the tournament but yet to start the second holes but a distant 10 strokes behind Kaymer. — Reuters her stature, at this point she couldn’t overpower a golf course. But pound for pound, she’s very powerful. She has a great short game. Her game is pretty boring. She doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. She shoots a couple under par and it just seems like it’s an everyday thing for her.” Froome suffers nasty Li set a record last year in the US Women’s Amateur as the youngest qualifier at age 10. She also was the youngest in the US Women’s Amateur Public Links to reach match play, losing in the first round to a college player. Li captured the girls’ 10- crash; Bakelants wins 11 division at the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt contest at Augusta that preceded the Masters this year. Then she beat second-place qualifier Kathleen Scavo by seven strokes at Half POISY: Belgian Jan Bakelants, riding for Omega Pharma-Quick Bakelants, 28 and a Tour de France yellow jersey holder for two Moon Bay to surpass the mark set by Lexi Thompson, who was Step, won the sixth stage of the Criterium du Dauphine yester- stages last year, won a two-man sprint against Dutch time-trial 12 when she made it to the 2007 US Women’s Open at Pine day while overall leader Chris Froome recovered from a nasty champion Lieuwe Westra after the duo broke free of an escape Needles. McLean also coached Thompson - along with several crash to keep the yellow jersey. Froome, the defending Tour de group down the stretch. other PGA and LPGA players over the years - but thought Li France champion, came home with his jersey and shorts shred- The stage covered 178.5km from Grenoble to Poisy with third was too young to train when her mother first called him. He ded after crashing with 7.5km to race. place going to Czech rider Zdenek Stybar, who won a sprint said he changed his mind after Li and her mother met with He lost over a minute on the peloton but sportsmanship pre- from a small group 24 seconds behind the leaders. With today’s him in Miami, when he saw the family’s commitment and Li’s vailed as main rival Alberto Contador and the rest of the pack decisive mountain stage on the penultimate day, Froome is cer- love for golf. “I couldn’t turn them down,” he said. McLean waited for Froome to catch up. The Kenyan-born British Sky rider tain to be attacked by Contador who lies 12 seconds back. The said he has put a heavy emphasis for Li to play the course had deep grazes and cuts across his back, shoulder, elbow and stage will culminate with two beyond category climbs and a instead of practice on the range. He said Li has made the hip as he arrived over four minutes behind Bakelants. “It’s noth- summit finish where the race is almost certain to be won or lost. biggest strides with her short game since she arrived, and her ing serious,” said Froome.