Wake Forest senior Siyun Liu is looking to make history this week.
Liu, who is from Shanghai, is competing in PGA Tour China Q-School as she hopes to become the first female to earn her card on the men’s development tour.
She began her quest Tuesday by shooting an opening 3-over 74 at Foison Golf Club in Guangzhou and sits T-19 on the leaderboard after the first of four rounds.
“Honestly, it’s not as different as I thought,” said Liu, who is playing from the same tees as the men (6,588 yards). “Everyone hits it so much farther than I do, that’s for sure, and I expected that, but I’m just more playing my own game because I know that everyone else if kind of playing a different golf course than I am doing. It helps me relax.”
The top 15 finishers will earn full cards for the 2020 season, which is expected to begin in late March, while the rest of the top 45 and ties will receive conditional status.
Regardless of how Liu finishes, she is planning on returning to Wake Forest for her final semester, according to Demon Deacons head coach Kim Lewellen, who made sure to ask Liu her intentions after a winter in which five of the top women’s players in college golf opted to leave school and turn pro after earning status through the LPGA’s Q-Series.
Liu, who was a key part of Wake’s NCAA runner-up team last season, had five top-13 finishes, including three in the top 6, in as many starts during the fall.
“We were so close to winning the national championship last year, so my goal this year is to definitely try to win the team championship,” Liu said.
Liu was already planning on heading back to China this summer after turning pro following graduation. She had a few women’s pro events circled on her calendar but may need to adjust if she gets her card this week.
“If I do end up getting some status here, then I’ll definitely come back and play,” Liu said. “… If I get to play any event here, I would be so down for it.”