OUCH: Siyun Liu Misses Historic Opportunity Due to Injury

It’s not often that there is a chance at history during the Q-School events but we were so close to witnessing it this week. Unfortunately there will be no PGA TOUR firsts, because of an unfortunate withdrawal.

If you’re a hardcore golf fan that keeps tabs on who could be qualifying for the PGA TOUR through the Q-School events, you’ve probably heard about the fantastic run of Siyun Liu. Liu, a senior at Wake Forest is one of the key players for the Demon Deacon’s women’s golf team. She was competing at the Q-School China hoping to earn PGA TOUR status for the 2020 season.And while that’s a bold step in itself, Liu made a bolder statement with her play.

After three rounds, Liu was sitting at 13 over par which was good enough to put her at a tie for 23rd in the Q-School tournament. Q-School rules allow for the top-15 finishers to carry a full PGA TOUR card while those who finish 16th-45th are given conditional status. Liu was on track to be the first woman to ever hold a PGA TOUR status. Then a surprise struck everyone Thursday.

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Right before play resumed on Thursday, Liu shocked the golf world and withdrew from the even, citing arm pain as the cause. “For preventative measures my dad and I decided it was best that I withdraw from this event to make sure that I don’t further irritate my arm and risk getting injured for the spring season,” Liu said in a text message Thursday. “It’s been bothering me (since my first round) but I really wanted to see how far I could go. I still played today, but my condition did not get any better, so that’s why I realized that I should quit, as much as I wanted to push through.”

What an awful turn of events for Liu who looked like a shoo-in to be one of the players who gained PGA TOUR status and was even within striking distance of a full card for the year. It’s an even bigger blow because after receiving treatment, Liu’s injury was determined to be minor. She believes that she will be able to play in Wake Forest’s spring schedule to finish off her collegiate career.

While this is sad to see with all of the history on the line, Liu and her loved ones should be extremely proud of how she performed this week. And who knows, perhaps we’ll see Liu again next year when she’s healthy and ready to make history yet again.

Cover Image Via Twitter