China’s Haotong Li proved he really belonged to be alongside the world’s finest golfers following a standout tied fourth end at The Open Championship on Sunday. In doing so, he secured a well timed return to the Masters Match subsequent April and took one other big step in direction of his dream of incomes a PGA Tour card.
The mercurial Li produced two clutch birdies in his closing 4 holes at Royal Portrush in Northern Eire and signed off with a closing 1-under 70 to complete six pictures again of taking part in companion and champion, Scottie Scheffler. The American World No. 1 captured his first Claret Jug by 4 strokes on 17-under, extending a run of dominance paying homage to Tiger Woods at his peak.
“It is fairly good. Like I mentioned, I did not anticipate something like this. However I am tremendous completely satisfied to complete prime 4 and get within the Masters once more,” mentioned the 29-year-old Li, whose final look at Augusta Nationwide was in 2019.
Li grew to become the primary participant from mainland China to steer or co-lead after the opening spherical of The Open and the primary to function within the ultimate pairing on Sunday. He remained in competition all through the week by delivering a few of his finest golf — a continuation of the shape that earned him a fourth DP World Tour title earlier this yr in Qatar.
His wonderful run marked his second top-5 end at The Open – Li got here in solo third in his debut at Royal Birkdale in 2017 – and pushed him to 3rd place within the Race to Dubai rankings which the top-10, not in any other case exempt, will earn PGA Tour playing cards for 2026.
A wayward driver which noticed him miss over half the fairways at Royal Portrush left him with an uphill battle on Sunday. Following a double bogey on 14, Li responded with a 16-foot birdie on the subsequent gap earlier than blasting a chic bunker shot to inside two toes for his sixth and ultimate birdie of the day to complete the week on 11-under alongside former US Open champions Wyndham Clark and Matt Fitzpatrick.
“I noticed the leaderboard on the final three holes, and I do know I want a pair extra birdies to form of bounce up and to safe my PGA Tour card. I am certain I am actually shut there as properly,” he mentioned.
“Off the tee it is simply been fairly off, and form of misplaced 5 pictures immediately due to the driving force, and I feel must determine that out. Iron play was fairly good. It was truly tremendous calm and he is (Scheffler) such a beautiful man to play with.”
Li burst onto the worldwide scene greater than a decade in the past with a number of wins on the DP World Tour, together with a memorable head-to-head overcome Rory McIlroy in Dubai. Nonetheless, his journey has been punctuated by dips in type that he contemplated strolling away from the game.
He arrived at Royal Portrush following a missed reduce on the Genesis Scottish Open and admitted his recreation was removed from excellent. “The final couple weeks, I felt actually, actually dangerous, trustworthy. I got here on this week, I hardly get on the course to play as a result of I felt like so many individuals, course being so packed, and I simply hit sort of some balls on the vary, wasn’t snug. Even our Thursday, Friday morning session wasn’t,” he mentioned.
Overcoming the “swing yips” that plagued him simply two years in the past, Li now feels rejuvenated. “Particularly from two years in the past, could not even pull the set off till now. It is a large step for me. I have been taking part in on the DP World Tour and with the ability to expertise totally different form of programs has helped my recreation quite a bit.”
A return to the Masters subsequent yr has Li buzzing with anticipation. He fondly remembers his final outing six years in the past the place he performed alongside Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm within the opening two rounds at Augusta Nationwide. Woods triumphed that week for his 15th main victory.
“It is like a dream come true to play with Tiger, particularly through the Masters,” mentioned Li, who completed T32/2018 and T43/2019 in his two appearances on the Masters.
Now ranked 77th within the Official World Golf Rating , the Chinese language star’s lifelong aim is to compete full time on the PGA Tour which appears firmly inside attain. He relished his ultimate day pairing with Scheffler and loved light-hearted moments with the likeable American celebrity, who’s now a four-time main champion.
“We did a joke about one another somewhat bit and simply so good to play with him. I simply mentioned, is there any time I can observe with you once I go to the PGA Tour, and he mentioned sure. However I mentioned, once I textual content you, you higher reply to me, and he goes, “Haotong Who?” That was truly humorous. Only a beautiful man to play with, and I loved it,” mentioned Li.
