LPGA players join long list of pro golfers relocating to Las Vegas

The ranks of professional golfers calling Las Vegas home continues to grow, with two LPGA players the latest to settle in to Southern Nevada.

Haeran Ryu, the No. 10 player in the world, and Lucy Li have recently moved to Las Vegas, joining close to two dozen other LPGA, PGA and Korn Ferry players in the area. Li is so new to the city that she was still settling in as she played in last week’s T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek.

“I’m still really new here. I moved in like literally this past weekend, so I’m still getting to know the city,” Li said during the tournament.

Li is relocating from the Sacramento area after growing up in the Bay Area. The proximity to California is one of the main reasons Li chose Las Vegas for her first home.

“My parents are really happy that I moved to Vegas and not like Florida or something,” she said. “I definitely considered Florida, but it’s just so far away from California, so that was really the main thing, was being close to California.”

Li said no state taxes were a major draw to Nevada, as well as the food options in Las Vegas.

“There is really good Asian food around here,” she said. “Really good Chinese food.”

Despite being just 22, Li has been in the national spotlight for a decade. She became the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur when she was 10, and the youngest to play in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2014 when she was an 11-year-old sixth-grader. She turned pro at 17, played on the Epson Tour for three seasons and is starting her third season on the LPGA Tour.

Li is still in search of her first victory after coming close in 2024 when she lost a playoff to Jasmine Suwannapura at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. She matched an LPGA record in the final round by recording three eagles in the round.

“Yeah, really happy to be a homeowner now. It’s really exciting,” she said of her Summerlin purchase. “Maybe after this week is over I’ll be able to do a little more exploring.”

Chance to play the best

The clock is ticking on an opportunity to play some of the top courses in Nevada via a fundraiser for Southern Nevada Junior Golf, The First Tee of Northern Nevada and the Nevada Golf Alliance.

The organizations are holding a drawing to earn a chance to play at one of 42 courses throughout the state. Courses include Southern Highlands, Montreaux, TPC Las Vegas, Wolf Creek and Dragon Ridge. Lessons with several prominent area pros and experiences at TopGolf and J Bar Golf are also available.

Tickets for the drawing can be purchased for $25 for 10 entries, $35 for 15 chances, $50 for 25 opportunities, $75 for 50 entries, or $100 for 100 chances. They can be purchased at nvbucketlist.com. Drawings for all prizes will be April 15.

Chip shots

— One of the smallest contingents of Las Vegas golfers in recent years are in the field for this week’s Masters, but all three players are on short lists of contenders for the green jacket. Min Woo Lee, who won two weeks ago in Houston, Maverick McNealy and Collin Morikawa will carry Southern Nevada’s hopes at Augusta National.

— Durango Hills will host its second annual Women’s Spring Open on May 17 at the Summerlin course. The two-person scramble will have a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start at a cost of $100 per player. Handicaps will not be used. Information: 702-229-4653.

Greg Robertson covers golf for the Review-Journal. He can be reached at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.