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A 12-year-old from the Greater Toronto Area is competing for a coveted junior golfing title at Augusta National Golf Club ahead of the Masters.
Audrey Lu from Vaughan, Ont., is one of four Canadians heading to the Drive, Chip and Putt championship finals in Georgia on Sunday, participating in the Girls 12-13 age group.
“I’m really proud of all these years of hard work and practice every day which got me to where I am,” Lu told CBC Toronto.
The U.S. junior golfing skills competition is for young golfers between the ages of seven and 15. Lu is one of 80 players who will compete at Augusta National ahead of the 90th Masters tournament.
She received an achievement certificate from Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca in October for being the first athlete from the city to qualify.
Lu, who is a student at Branksome Hall in Toronto, has been playing golf since she was five years old when her mother Meng Xiao enrolled her in a summer golf camp.
“I realized I could hit the ball so far. And every day I would come back to the course and I always had the urge, the drive to keep getting better,” Lu said.
Lu quickly fell in love with the sport and its challenges, and described the journey as beautiful.
Her father has been her caddy for years and her younger brother attends every one of her tournaments. She said she’s grateful to everyone who cheered her on, including her family in China.
‘She’s our teacher and mentor’
Lu’s family moved to Canada from China in 2015 when she was about a year old. A few years later, Xiao said she thought her daughter’s strong-willed personality would be a good fit for golf. After her first day, Lu told Xiao she liked the game and wanted to continue.
“She teaches us everything. She’s our teacher and mentor,” Xiao said.
She said she is also inspired by her daughter’s resilience and determination. Lu will play no matter the weather, in either extremely hot or cold conditions and through long days, said Xiao.
Lu told her mom that she is proud of herself for never giving up in order to achieve her dream. “I think that moment really touched me,” Xiao said that’s when she realized golf is a life-long journey.
Xiao said the most important thing is for Lu to enjoy the moment when playing at Augusta because the experience “will be cherished throughout her life.”
‘The hardest worker that I know,’ coach says
Lexie McKay, the lead instructor at Thrive Performance Mind Training, has been working with Lu once a week for the past year.
“She’s just the hardest worker that I know, especially at 12 years old. It’s crazy,” McKay said Lu shows up to practice with high energy and focus. She said Lu pushes herself and is very competitive.
“Augusta is the pinnacle of golf … most people in their life would never go to Augusta” she said.
For women golfers who don’t get to play in the Masters, McKay explains, there’s only two ways to play at Augusta National: either at the Drive, Chip and Putt or at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Lu has the extra challenge of training indoors during Canada’s winter months, which McKay says is nothing short of impressive.
She said Lu’s biggest strength is her ability to focus, to block out negative thoughts despite the pressure and make a good swing. This is important for Sunday’s competition, where Lu will only have three shots at each discipline.
“It’s a lot of pressure, but honestly, I believe in her so much because the hardest part was qualifying,” McKay said.
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