Our First Successful Drive, Chip & Putt Grad...Six Weeks Later

Good on Doug Ferguson to remind us that Masters Chairman Billy Payne said we'd be hearing from those Drive, Chip and Putt winners again.

Yes, but six weeks later?

An 11-year-old girl who won her age group in the youth competition before the Masters has played her way into the U.S. Women's Open next month at Pinehurst No. 2.

Lucy Li, a sixth grader with braces and a sharp short game, made history Monday at Half Moon Bay with rounds of 74-68 to become the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open. Not only did she earn a spot at the biggest event in women's golf, she won the 36-hole qualifier by seven shots.

Ferguson talked to Judy Rankin and Dottie Pepper, neither of whomy did not belittle the accomplishment, but also did put it in perspective.

Rankin and Pepper both attributed the increasing achievements by teens – pre-teens in Li's case – to modern equipment and coaching.

''For people with talent, regardless of age, today's equipment is making the game a lot easier to learn,'' Rankin said. ''For talented people, they are learning the game quicker and easier. That has a big bearing on it.''

The Masters Twitter account sent out this link today of images showing Li at the DCP.