Meet Lily Muni He, the Chinese golfer setting Instagram alight: the 24-year-old LPGA pro is a fashion influencer who rocks Prada and Burberry and is dating Thai-British F1 Driver Alex Albon

Nov 13 , 2023

Is Lily He the Eileen Gu of the golfing world? Photo: @lilymhe/Instagram

Chengdu-born LPGA star Lily Muni He captures hearts across the internet with her passion for golf and style alike, amassing millions of TikTok followers and inspiring China’s next-gen golfers

The Gen Z athlete took up the sport from age 5, won the Polo Junior Classic 2015 and turned pro in 2017 – now, she has an endorsement deal with Nike and WeChat, and is known for her off-course fashion

Lily Muni He’s swing from golfing enthusiast to social media sensation echoes the rise of Eileen Gu among young winter sports athletes. Standing tall at 163cm, her journey began with golf and expanded into fashion, blooming into a presence that captivates millions online.

Born in China and raised in San Diego, He is a rising star on the LPGA tour and could influence a generation of new golfers in China. She had a passion for the sport from a young age, starting to compete at age five. She made her LPGA debut in 2019 and has since been on tour playing against some of the best female golfers in the world.

Lily Muni He credits her love of golf to her father. Photo: @lilymhe/Instagram

Born in Chengdu, Sichuan, He moved with her family to Vancouver, Canada and later settled in San Diego, California. Her father is an avid golfer; growing up, she had plenty of opportunities to hit the course with her dad.

Mostly home-schooled throughout elementary and high school, He further showed her determination when she entered and won the 2015 Polo Junior Classic.

How Lily Muni He went pro

Lily He on the course at the NW Arkansas Championships. Photo: @lilymhe/Instagram

With a few more wins under her belt, He turned pro in 2017 and eventually landed herself a coveted spot on the LPGA tour in 2019. This is around when she left the University of Southern California, where she was pursuing a degree in communications, to focus on golf full-time.

Despite living in the US for most of her life, she continues to represent her birth country China when she plays.

Lily He turned pro in 2017 and entered the LGPA Tour in 2019. Photo: @lilymhe/Instagram

Her success on the course has brought her plenty of attention off the green too. With more than 710,000 followers on Instagram and 5.3 million on TikTok, the 24-year-old is building a second career as an influencer.