Haotong Li (AFP/Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

He has shot a 63 on a major Sunday, stared down newly crowned Players champion Rory McIlroy and earned the respect of Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson after head-to-head duels.

Meet Haotong Li — China’s rising star in professional golf.

The 23-year-old tees it up in the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play this week knowing he has another great opportunity to check a few boxes in his burgeoning career.

Among United States sports fans, Li is still an unknown entity, but those who follow the European Tour know him a lot better as he has won twice on the circuit along with many other eye-catching performances.

Interestingly, Li’s first brush with golf was by chance when his father asked him to accompany a friend’s son to the driving range when he was 10 years old. While Li got hooked to the game, the other boy did not.

“That son is now in the military,” said Li.

The chance brush with golf has set the young Chinese up for stardom. After playing on the national amateur team, Li turned professional in 2011 at the age of 16, which was during a period when China’s first golf trailblazer, Lianwei Zhang, was winding down his career.

Li’s rise has been speedy. He won the inaugural PGA Tour Series-China Order of Merit in 2014 to earn promotion onto the Web.com Tour, claimed a maiden European Tour win on home soil in 2016 before finishing an impressive third at the Open Championship following a closing 63 at Royal Birkdale in 2017 for the best finish yet by a Chinese golfer in a major.

Early last year, Li created more headlines with a second European Tour triumph when he defeated McIlroy in Dubai, rallying from two shots back with eight holes remaining to secure a memorable win that propelled him into the world’s top-50 for the first time.

“His game speaks for itself,” said Rose, the reigning FedExCup Champion. “He’s got great technique, he’s confident and he’s not afraid to go low as we’ve seen it in major championships. Haotong just needs time […] he’s a brilliant player. He’s got the potential to be a major champion in the future for sure. What I like about Haotong is he works really hard. I see him in the gym away from the tournament […] he’s always working hard. He misses the cut and he stays around to practice. He’s got good work ethics.”

Li reinforced his credentials further with a runner-up finish at the Saudi Arabia International in February, finishing just two shots behind World No. 1 Johnson after climbing into contention with a third round 62 that included four eagles. Li’s strong performance in Saudi Arabia enhanced his prospects of qualifying for the International Team at the Presidents Cup against the US in Australia from Dec. 9 to 15. He currently sits in fourth position on the team standings, with captain Ernie Els already keeping close tabs on him.

Johnson was impressed with the way Li handled himself during the final round in the Middle East. “He’s been out here a few years now and everyone knows him. He’s got a good game, a really good talented young player and he’s going to be out here for a very long time,” said the American superstar of Li. “He does everything pretty well, hits it pretty long and has a good short game to back it up.”

On the practice range and inside the ropes, Li is all business and focused on the tasks in front of him. Firmly established now in Europe, he is seeking to break new frontiers. First up is getting his hands on a PGA Tour card through the FedExCup non-members points list and then hopefully becoming the first Chinese golfer to earn a spot in the Presidents Cup in the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia in December.

International Team captain Els enjoyed a front row seat when Li produced the fireworks at Royal Birkdale. “He’s a confident young man. He’s the new breed of Chinese power golfers and has a great attitude. Li can be a great addition to my team,” said Els.

This week, Li arrives for his second WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at the Austin Country Club with the intention to solidify his match play reputation. In last year’s debut, he lost all three group matches to Charl Schwartzel, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

“I am more sure of myself now. I feel like the things I thought I might not be able to do can actually be achieved. I also have a sense that I am getting closer and closer to the best fields in the world. I hope I can be better and play well on the PGA Tour,” he said.

“On the PGA Tour, you feel like a king playing golf. It’s very big and exciting.”

______________________

Chuah Choo Chiang is senior director of communications of the PGA Tour and is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Popular

Indonesian workers in Japan face growing stigma after viral incidents

Political motivations behind rising cyberattacks in mid-2025, report says

High rice prices, education costs push up inflation to 2.37 percent in July