Li, the youngest qualifier in US Women's Open history at age 10, was proudly holding an ice cream cone in her left hand while answering questions about her round on a hot day at formidable Pinehurst, where American Stacey Lewis led the field.
“Getting to play in the US Open was a lot of fun. I kind of struggled today, but it was great,” Li said.
“I'm happy with how I played. It's eight-over, it's not bad. But I was seven-over in three holes, so that's 1-over in 15 holes. So, I just need to get rid of the big numbers.”
Li won the 10-11 age group title at the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Championship three months ago at Augusta National on the eve of the start of Masters practice.
Li, whose family is from Hong Kong, wore a red, white and blue outfit for her round as she faced the turtle-backed greens of Pinehurst, which hosted the men's US Open last week with German Martin Kaymer taking the title in the first half of a historic back-to-back majors twin bill.
“I learned a lot,” Li said. “I learned that you've got to be patient. One shot at a time. Try to get rid of the big numbers. “Even the shortest holes, if you're not in the right place, you can get double (bogey), easily.”
Li began on the back nine and opened with a double bogey at the par-five 10th. She made bogey at 13 and a double bogey at 16, but made her first birdie at the first hole and answered a triple-bogey at the third with a birdie at the par-five fifth before closing with bogeys at seven and nine.
Li did not have a score in mind when she teed off, concerned more about performance than results.
“I was just trying to have fun, go out and play my best, whatever that was,” she said.
“I'm happy I broke 80, because I got two doubles and a triple and that can really ruin a score. But I'm glad I got it back after that.”
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