Teen phenom Lucy Li withdraws from Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Lucy Li, the 16-year-old phenom from Redwood Shores, Calif., has withdrawn from next week’s inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, according to a release posted on the tournament website Friday.

Li pulled out due to an undisclosed injury, as has Alexa Melton, another Californian, who also withdrew because of injury. Kaylee Benton, a senior at Arkansas, and Jessica Yuen, a junior at Missouri, will replace Li and Melton in the field.

Li, ranked No. 7 in the world amateur ranking, had been a favorite going into the much-anticipated Augusta National event. She maintained her amateur status last month after an investigation by the USGA, which determined she violated amateur eligibility rules by participating in an Apple Watch ad campaign. She was issued a warning.

Li burst into the spotlight in 2014 as an 11-year-old when she became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst, N.C. Nearly five years later, she’s been steadily adding to her resume: Last year alone she made the cut in the U.S. Women’s Open, was co-medalist and No. 1 seed in match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur, won silver at the 2018 Youth Olympics, and also helped lead the U.S. to victory in the Curtis Cup and Junior Ryder Cup.

Seventy-two golfers will tee it up in the inaugural ANWA, set for April 3-6. The first 36 holes will be played April 3-4 at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta. The entire field then will play Augusta National for an official practice round on April 5. The final round will take place at Augusta National on April 6 and will feature the top 30 competitors to make the cut.

Thirty-one of the golfers are from the United States while 23 other countries will be represented in the field.

–Field Level Media