If you don’t know Muni He, you probably don’t spend a lot of time following women’s golf on Instagram.
She is one of the LPGA’s most popular players on that social media platform with 252,000 followers.
She’s also putting up some pretty good numbers at LPGA Q-Series.
With a 7-under 65 in Wednesday’s start of the second week of the final stage of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament, He extended her lead to six shots.
He, who goes by the first name “Lilly,” is at 16-under 340 through five rounds with play moving to Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort’s No. 9 for the second week.
Elizabeth Szokol (67) and Hee Young Park (67) are tied for second at 346.
Yealimi Noh, the 18-year-old who made a couple strong runs at winning LPGA events as non-member this year, shot 67 and is sitting solo fourth.
Haley Moore, the former University of Arizona standout, shot 66 to climb into a tie for eighth.
Q-Series is being contested over 144 holes. The first 72 were played at Pinehurst No. 6. The top 45 and ties will win LPGA status at the end of the competition. There are 98 players in the field with a cut to the low 80 and ties coming after Thursday’s play. Everyone teeing it up this week will earn at least Symetra Tour status.
He’s Instagram following trails Michelle Wie (562,000) and Lexi Thompson (445,000), but it’s more than tour stars Natalie Gulbis (190,000) and Paula Creamer (181,000).
A former USC standout from China, He won on the Symetra Tour last year and then went on to earn an LPGA tour card at the inaugural Q-Series. She made eight cuts as a rookie this year but didn’t make enough money to keep her tour card.
“I think I’ve just grown and learned so much throughout this year that I feel pretty confident right now, just within myself and my own game,” He said.
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