Rising Chinese star Li Haotong recorded a brilliant victory in the Volvo China Open today, further placing mainland golf on the global map following countryman Wu Ashun’s success last year.
He showed why he is China’s great new hope by firing a brave and unblemished eight-under-par 64 at Topwin Golf and Country Club to beat Chilean Felipe Aguilar by three strokes.
Li, from Hunan, also became only the fourth Chinese player to win the Volvo China Open in the event’s 22-year history.
Aguilar, joint leader at the start of the day with Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, returned at 69 in the season-opening event on OneAsia, jointly sanctioned with the European Tour.
Bjerregaard, in with a 70, tied for third a stroke further back with Germany’s Marcel Siem and Richard Bland from England, who both carded 66.
Li, just 20 years old, began the day two shots off the lead and with huge home support backing his every shot, he reeled in Aguilar and held a share of the lead as he stood on the 17th tee.
The Chinese golfer birdied the penultimate hole to get to 22 under and when Aguilar – playing in the group behind – put his tee-shot on the 16th into the water, a par up the last was enough to give Li victory.
It is his second OneAsia win after his success in the 2014 Nanshan China Masters and first European Tour title.
“I just tried to relax myself and I’m really really happy to hold the trophy here,” he said.
Li appeared not to realise he had the lead until he was on the 18th fairway and he admitted he was grateful to his caddy for reining in the aggressive approach that had served him so well all week.
“When I had my tee-shot, I walked to my second shot there and I was thinking I need to go hybrid to get to the front edge to give me an easy chip to there but my caddy said, ‘Haotong, you’re already three shots in the lead, you’ve just got to lay up and make par to win’. So thanks to him!”
OneAsia heads to Korea next week for the 35th GS Caltex Maekyung Open at Namseoul Country Club, from May 5 to 8.
Korean Kyongjun Moon – reigning OneAsia Order of Merit champion – will attempt to defend his title.
Leading final round scores:
266 – Li Haotong (CNH) 69 67 66 64
269 – Felipe Aguilar (CHI) 68 65 67 69
270 – Marcel Siem (GER) 68 67 69 66, Richard Bland (ENG) 69 67 68 66, Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 68 67 65 70
271 – Scott Hend (AUS) 71 68 68 64, Richie Ramsay (SCO) 68 70 67 66, Peter Hanson (SWE) 66 71 67 67
272 – David Lipsky (USA) 69 67 70 66, Borja Virto Astudillo (ESP) 67 70 68 67, Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR) 66 71 67 68, Alexander Noren (SWE) 67 67 68 70
273 – Gregory Havret (FRA) 70 66 67 70, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 68 67 67 71
274 – Bradley Dredge (WAL) 70 69 70 65, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 71 66 70 67, Romain Wattel (FRA) 72 66 69 67, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 70 67 65 72
275 – Haydn Porteous (RSA) 69 69 68 69, Trevor Fisher Jnr (RSA) 70 68 73 64
For full scores please visit: http://www.oneasia.asia/
