Photo by: Tim Cowie - Tim Cowie Photography
Lu Continues to Climb MSU Record Books, Aims for More
5/22/2024 11:10:00 AM | Women's Golf
Finishes 2023-24 with Second-Best Scoring Average in Program History
By Kalee Kniess
For MSUspartans.com
Michigan State women's golf star Katie Lu walked into her first experience with golf at a young age, when her mom stumbled across a summer camp just a few minutes down the road from their home in Central New Jersey, just outside of Princeton.
Golf was not a thing in her family, but the sport was about to become her calling.
"I first started golfing when I was 10-years-old, and it was kind of random," Lu said. "My parents, they didn't golf at all, so they didn't really know much about the sport."
In the ensuing 11 years, Lu was put her name in the Michigan State record books and become one of the best collegiate golfers in the country.
Lu, a rising senior enrolled in the Broad College of Business, returned from California on Tuesday after helping lead the Spartans to the NCAA Championships. A leader on the team throughout the season – she was the team's top finisher seven times – Lu not only had the best season of her career, but one of the best seasons in program history.
A First Team All-Big Ten selection this year, Lu led the team in scoring this season at 71.54, a career best mark that also ranks No. 2 all-time for a single season at Michigan State, just behind the record of 70.68 set by Sarah Burnham in 2017-18.
She will enter her senior year in 2024-25 ranked No. 4 all-time at Michigan State with a 73.55 scoring average.
Lu has been dedicated to golf since that first summer. She said that she inspired her dad to start playing with her – a decision that helped push her talents further.
"My dad started getting into it more with us, and we joined other junior golf programs like the first tee, PGA Junior League and then slowly got even more into it," Lu recall. "And then the tournaments came along."
Those summer tournaments helped prepare her for the competition at the college level and, like many golfers at this level, continued to test herself against the best in recent summers. Last year, she reached the round of 32 at the Western Amateur and advanced to the semifinals of the New Jersey Women's Amateur for the second-straight year.
"I feel like those events prepared me a good amount (for the 2023-24 season)," Lu said. "I got to play in an LPGA event and then I also played in Arizona with the team for the 2023 national championship."
Starting golf at the age of 10 is a bit later than the average elite player and while she felt like her peers were outperforming her then, Lu has caught up in time. Lu said her MSU coaches and teammates inspire her and push her to be the best.
"The coaches here are phenomenal, constantly pushing us to work not only on our game, but to be the best we can be, on the course and in the classroom," Lu said. "And my teammates, they're all my best friends. We have a great group here and we're with one another through thick and thin."
Michigan State Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll has had a strong impact on Lu, helping her shape a stronger game for the collegiate level. The two click because they share a strong work ethic, and a drive to improve.
"Katie is a tireless worker, and she is always thinking and learning," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "She uses all the resources around her and is constantly asking questions about the how's and why's to help her get better in all aspects of her life."
That work paid off this year. The Spartans posted eight top-5 teams finishes in 2023-24, including a win at the Briar's Creek Invitational in March and three runner-up finishes, at MSU's Mary Fossum Invitational in September, the Buckeye Invitational and at the Big Ten Championships.
Along the way, Lu won two events, shooting a 3-under par 213 to win the Mary Fossum Invitational on Sept. 18 and then carding a 5-under par 211 to share medalist honors with classmate Brooke Biermann at the Briar's Creek event on March 12.
Lu finished among the top-5 in four events, the top-10 seven times and the top-20 11 times in the 13 events she played in during the season.
While the Spartans fell just short of advancing to the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championships in mid-May, Lu advanced to play in the fourth round as one of the top individuals. She and senior teammate Leila Raines, her roommate, both advanced and represented MSU in that final round. It was the second-straight year that Lu advanced to play as an individual, becoming the first player in MSU history to do so in 2023.
Slobodnik-Stoll said that Lu is a strong golfer and that she puts in the hard work to be where she is, challenging herself on everything from technique to strategy to eating habits.
"Katie is very strong and she hits the ball with a lot of power," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "Her length is an advantage because she has shorter clubs in (to the hole) than most other players. Katie also works very hard in the weight room and is conscious of her eating habits, always making sure she is doing what is best for her body and her health."
Lu is watching her dream become a reality right in front of her eyes. As the summer starts and Lu thinks toward her senior year, she knows there are still goals left for her and her teammates to reach.
"I've always dreamed and I've always worked toward goals that maybe didn't seem as reachable during the time," Lu said. "To see it all come together like this, it just makes me realize how much is possible and just how far I can actually shoot for my dreams and what those dreams can be and those goals."
For MSUspartans.com
Michigan State women's golf star Katie Lu walked into her first experience with golf at a young age, when her mom stumbled across a summer camp just a few minutes down the road from their home in Central New Jersey, just outside of Princeton.
Golf was not a thing in her family, but the sport was about to become her calling.
"I first started golfing when I was 10-years-old, and it was kind of random," Lu said. "My parents, they didn't golf at all, so they didn't really know much about the sport."
In the ensuing 11 years, Lu was put her name in the Michigan State record books and become one of the best collegiate golfers in the country.
Lu, a rising senior enrolled in the Broad College of Business, returned from California on Tuesday after helping lead the Spartans to the NCAA Championships. A leader on the team throughout the season – she was the team's top finisher seven times – Lu not only had the best season of her career, but one of the best seasons in program history.
A First Team All-Big Ten selection this year, Lu led the team in scoring this season at 71.54, a career best mark that also ranks No. 2 all-time for a single season at Michigan State, just behind the record of 70.68 set by Sarah Burnham in 2017-18.
She will enter her senior year in 2024-25 ranked No. 4 all-time at Michigan State with a 73.55 scoring average.
Lu has been dedicated to golf since that first summer. She said that she inspired her dad to start playing with her – a decision that helped push her talents further.
"My dad started getting into it more with us, and we joined other junior golf programs like the first tee, PGA Junior League and then slowly got even more into it," Lu recall. "And then the tournaments came along."
Those summer tournaments helped prepare her for the competition at the college level and, like many golfers at this level, continued to test herself against the best in recent summers. Last year, she reached the round of 32 at the Western Amateur and advanced to the semifinals of the New Jersey Women's Amateur for the second-straight year.
"I feel like those events prepared me a good amount (for the 2023-24 season)," Lu said. "I got to play in an LPGA event and then I also played in Arizona with the team for the 2023 national championship."
Starting golf at the age of 10 is a bit later than the average elite player and while she felt like her peers were outperforming her then, Lu has caught up in time. Lu said her MSU coaches and teammates inspire her and push her to be the best.
"The coaches here are phenomenal, constantly pushing us to work not only on our game, but to be the best we can be, on the course and in the classroom," Lu said. "And my teammates, they're all my best friends. We have a great group here and we're with one another through thick and thin."
Michigan State Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll has had a strong impact on Lu, helping her shape a stronger game for the collegiate level. The two click because they share a strong work ethic, and a drive to improve.
"Katie is a tireless worker, and she is always thinking and learning," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "She uses all the resources around her and is constantly asking questions about the how's and why's to help her get better in all aspects of her life."
That work paid off this year. The Spartans posted eight top-5 teams finishes in 2023-24, including a win at the Briar's Creek Invitational in March and three runner-up finishes, at MSU's Mary Fossum Invitational in September, the Buckeye Invitational and at the Big Ten Championships.
Along the way, Lu won two events, shooting a 3-under par 213 to win the Mary Fossum Invitational on Sept. 18 and then carding a 5-under par 211 to share medalist honors with classmate Brooke Biermann at the Briar's Creek event on March 12.
Lu finished among the top-5 in four events, the top-10 seven times and the top-20 11 times in the 13 events she played in during the season.
While the Spartans fell just short of advancing to the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championships in mid-May, Lu advanced to play in the fourth round as one of the top individuals. She and senior teammate Leila Raines, her roommate, both advanced and represented MSU in that final round. It was the second-straight year that Lu advanced to play as an individual, becoming the first player in MSU history to do so in 2023.
Slobodnik-Stoll said that Lu is a strong golfer and that she puts in the hard work to be where she is, challenging herself on everything from technique to strategy to eating habits.
"Katie is very strong and she hits the ball with a lot of power," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "Her length is an advantage because she has shorter clubs in (to the hole) than most other players. Katie also works very hard in the weight room and is conscious of her eating habits, always making sure she is doing what is best for her body and her health."
Lu is watching her dream become a reality right in front of her eyes. As the summer starts and Lu thinks toward her senior year, she knows there are still goals left for her and her teammates to reach.
"I've always dreamed and I've always worked toward goals that maybe didn't seem as reachable during the time," Lu said. "To see it all come together like this, it just makes me realize how much is possible and just how far I can actually shoot for my dreams and what those dreams can be and those goals."
Players Mentioned
Never Playing Alone | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, May 20
Moving in the Right Direction | Spartans All-Access
Monday, February 10
Day in the Life with Women's Golf | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, October 01
Michgan State Women's Golf at NCAA Championships | Cinematic Highlight | May 17-19,2024
Tuesday, May 21