Even though she didn’t pull out her first career LPGA Tour victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, Lucy Li is proud of the fight she put up on Sunday in Rogers, Ark.

Li began the final round in a tie for 25th at 6-under overall and blitzed Pinnacle Country Club on day three, carding an 11-under 60 to finish at 17-under and vault into a playoff with LPGA Tour winner Jasmine Suwannapura. She ultimately lost to the Thailand native on the second extra hole after Suwannapura eagled 18, but Li couldn’t have been more pleased to have a shot at winning in the first place, particularly considering how she started her round.

“I had honestly no clue that this was going to happen. I did not think I was in it at all,” said Li. “After two three-putts in the first four holes, I was just like, I don't know. And then some magic came, and I shot 60. Even though I didn't win, this is the greatest thing.”

The 21-year-old kicked off her day with a birdie on the first hole but quickly gave that shot back with a bogey on the par-5 2nd hole, dropping another shot with a bogey on No. 4. She righted the ship with a birdie on the par-4 5th hole and then got back to 7-under after grabbing another birdie on the par-5 7th hole.

Li then dunked her second shot for eagle on the par-4 8th hole to climb to 9-under and kept things rolling with birdies on her next three holes to move to 12-under for the tournament. After parring 12 and 13, the California native eagled the par-5 14th hole to get to 14-under and then birdied the par-3 15th hole to move to 15-under with three holes to play.

She parred 16 and 17 before finishing out her incredible round with an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to post an 11-under 60 and hold the clubhouse lead at 17-under, a total that would then be matched by Suwannapura.

The 60 is the 2022 Epson Tour graduate’s lowest career round on the LPGA Tour and is just the eighth round of 60 or better to be shot on Tour since 2001. It’s the second time that a 60 has been recorded this season, as Linnea Strom also shot a 60 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer en route to her first career victory.

Li’s 11-under effort bests her previous career-low round of 64 by a whopping four shots. It also set a new 18-hole tournament scoring record at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. Additionally, Li is the first player since Jane Park at the 2017 AIG Women’s Open to card three eagles in one round, something that has only been done six times since 1979 on the LPGA Tour.

“It's really great for my confidence,” said Li. “I started the year off really well, and then I really, really struggled in the middle of the season. That was really tough. Then I've been seeing some good form recently, so to put it together today and shoot 60, I was thinking, I shot 65 in Boston the last day, and that was my best round of the year. I was like, man, I haven't really shot that many low rounds. I've been playing well, but I haven't put together any low rounds. To shoot 60 with two bogeys is crazy.”

There are just six events left before the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, and after entering the week on the bubble to qualify for the final event of the year, Li is now 32nd in the Race to the CME Globe, safely inside the top-60 cutoff and currently set to compete at Tiburón Golf Club in November.

A performance like this will certainly serve as a huge confidence boost for Li as she looks ahead to the rest of the 2024 LPGA Tour season and as she readies herself for her next scheduled start at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. It’s a welcome bolster for Li’s self-belief as she works to finish what’s been an up-and-down sophomore season strong, a lift that likely couldn’t have come at a better time for the young talent.

“It's great to be in contention,” Li said. “Jasmine played so great. She eagled 18 and eagled it again in the playoff. I feel like I really couldn't have done much. It's always better to lose to someone winning than it is to lose, so I'm really happy for her, and I'm feeling good about the final stretch of the year.”

Epson Tour Graduate Lucy Li Finishes Runner-Up in Arkansas After Final-Round 60

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