Claire Lu ’24 recently reflected on the time management skills she’s acquired while juggling two passions – golf and art – during her senior speech. While she remains fiercely committed to both, Claire took another huge step in her golf career by confirming her intent to study and play golf at the University of Pennsylvania. Claire was joined by her family, friends and LA coaches and administrators during a signing ceremony held on Jan. 10 in the Admission Conference Room.
“I’m really excited to continue my golf career at UPenn,” Claire said. “I feel like I’m going to be very happy there. I’m excited to play with my team and enter the world of college golf.”
Claire has not confirmed her major but knows she’d like to continue to pursue her study and creation of art. She’s found a wonderful balance between golf and art while also maintaining high academic standards.
“Being able to do both golf and art has made me better at managing my time,” she said. “I think I’m pretty good at distinguishing what I need to do and how I need to get it done. I appreciate the opportunities the school has given me in golf and art. You’re really allowed to express yourself in what you draw. I can explore different art mediums and draw what I want.”
Claire and her LA teammates have brought championship banners and historic athletic achievements to the school in the past three years. Playing alongside talented golfers including her sister, Grace ’22, now a sophomore on The College of William and Mary golf team, Claire has won tournaments and posted impressive scores throughout her career. However, her favorite moments have nothing to do with sinking a 30-foot putt or lifting a championship trophy.
“My fondest memories in general are just being on the golf course with my teammates, playing and laughing with my friends,” Claire said. “The rides back from tournaments are really fun when we talk about our rounds. Having teammates makes me more relaxed because I have people to talk with on the same team.”
Veteran LA head coach Jim Howard summed up Claire’s play in three words: "dedication, hard work, skill." He recalled a time last winter when he and Claire were the only two golfers at the driving range in blustery conditions. While Coach Howard stayed dry under cover, Claire went out and practiced chipping in the snow.
“That’s why she’s a good golfer,” Coach Howard said. “No one on the Penn team can work harder than Claire. They’ll have to keep up with her rather than Claire having to keep up with them.”
Claire is grateful to her family for their unwavering support. They have encouraged her during every step of the journey. Her parents and sister were beaming with pride as she made her UPenn commitment official.
“I’m proud of my daughter,” said Mr. Zhigang Lu, Claire’s father. “She works very hard, not only for academics but in golf. She tries to practice every day. It’s not easy to achieve this kind of success.”
“It’s a lot of commitment and hard work,” added Mrs. Ming Lee, Claire’s mother. “I want to thank the school. The support from everyone here is so nice.”
Big sister Grace is looking forward to some possible sibling matches at the college level. Having experienced the same transition from LA to Division 1 golf, Grace shared some important advice about time management – “leave some time in the day just for yourself” – and also echoed the sentiments of everyone at the ceremony.
“I’m really proud of her,” Grace said. “She’s come a long way and really matured and grown. I’m excited for her to experience a new chapter in her life.”