CHINA’S STAR
Haotong Li is a trailblazer for golf in the world’s most populated country
Meet Haotong Li.
Since the first Open Championship was held in 1860, just 30 players in the men’s game have walked off the 18th green to sign for a 63, or better. They include many legends – Nicklaus, Woods, Player, Price, Norman, Faldo, Miller – representing many nations. And last year, China was added to the list (along with the first ever 62, from Branden Grace).
The man who achieved China’s first Major 63, at Royal Birkdale, was Haotong Li, now ranked 42nd in the world, and the best male golfer – by a mile – from a country of 1.4 billion people (LPGA Tour Shanshan Feng, sixth in the world, is currently the best golfer from China, while the next best male player is Wu Ashun at 344th).
Li turned professional when he was 16, and won his first European Tour event – the 2016 Volvo China Open – just four years later. Last year, he became the first Chinese player to make the cut at a US Open; he finished third at Royal Birkdale – the best Major finish ever by a Chinese player – beat Rory Mcilroy to the Dubai Desert Classic in February and played in his first Masters in April.
He’s exceeding even the lofty expectations of the world’s most populous nation, and is on a mission not only to put Chinese golf on the global map, but emulate the achievements of his idol Tiger Woods (with whom he shares the same management company). The latter may be a tall order, but there’s no doubt Li is supremely talented – and adept at dealing with the Western media. When we caught up with “China’s Tiger” he was in fine form and answered our questions with a smile as wide as the Great Wall. Only two topics were out of bounds – the authorities and golf back home, and his mother’s retrieving of the putter he snapped and threw into a lake at last year’s French Open…
The annual golf membership in China costs £30,000 and there’s fewer than 500,000 players in the country, so how did you start in the game?
Through my dad. He’s a crazy golfer. I was about 10. His buddy played golf and they wanted to play with a partner, so that’s why dad introduced me to the game – it was dad and myself against his buddy and his friend. Golf made me feel like a boss because you can do anything you want on the course, you’re the one in control and making all the shots.
Did you take to it straight away?
I loved it from the start, especially after holing out with a 7-iron on the driving range! I was quite happy too when I could not only hit the ball 50 yards, but straight and high. It was a warm feeling, like I had won something. I was hooked and wanted to play it more and more. He didn’t force me to practise, I wanted to do it and if I got angry on the course dad would have say something afterwards. He would never say anything to me during a round.
How did you take to amateur golf?
Actually, it was pretty rubbish. I turned pro when I was almost 16. Just before that, when I was 15, I wanted to play in the Asia-pacific Amateur Championship, but my handicap wasn’t low enough. Even just before that week in Shenzhen I missed the cut. It was hard and I received a lot of flak after breaking my umbrella. Not in anger, but in sheer frustration following a number of three-putts. That may be considered fairly normal behaviour elsewhere, but not so in China.
Yet a week later you became the youngest winner in European Tour history.
I was lucky to bounce back like I did and slam my opponents the following week. It was a great feeling to win in such a strong field. It gave me such a lot of heart and belief. After that week I took a couple of weeks off to fly to the Dominican Republic for a Web.com event, believing I could get on to the PGA Tour. I shot -5 over two days, but a bogey on the 17th in the second round saw me miss the cut
by a shot. I told my caddie: “Let’s book two tickets straight from there to London,” and since then I’ve been playing on the European Tour.
That’s been a good move, surely?
Those first two years were really important for me. There was so much more to think about than just making birdies. Travelling to and from events, finding time to rest, working on my swing, trying to build up my body, it was a big adjustment for me. It wasn’t until 2014 when I began playing in bigger events in China on the Oneasia Tour and PGA Tour China, that things started to come together. I like to play in different countries every week. I like seeing the world. I’m a global player – I like playing in America as well as in Europe and I like seeing the different countries around the world.
How much has all that travel opened your eyes?
I had watched it for years on TV and seen all the amazing places the Tour went and the players it produced and I was excited to give it a try. The biggest adjustment early on was the food. It sounds strange but I had grown up on a traditional Chinese diet of rice and noodles and suddenly I was in airports and hotels around the world having to get used to all different types of diets and food. It made me quite sick early on and homesick. It took a while to get used to, both physically and mentally. Luckily now, they look after players really well and we have so many options to choose from in Players’ Lounges. Even rice and noodles!
But is the PGA Tour is still your dream?
That’s the aim. I think this year I can play in 10-15 events in the US, which is a great opportunity for me. I want to win in Europe and in fact in every tournament I play in. But I’m going to see a lot of Europe this year.
Give us a bit of an insight into golf in China?
I think it will be a top sport back home soon. There are a lot of talented young kids capable of becoming superstars. There are obviously more players there now than before and hopefully I am doing my bit to encourage and inspire more emerging talent and stars in the future. This is my wish.
What are the courses and facilities like in China?
Every course is private and the condition of them is really good. The clubhouses and facilities are perfect. It’s quite expensive to play – if you get a life membership at the average golf club it’s around £100,000 and if you don’t have membership it’s around £200-£300 for a round.
You must have got a great reaction after your 63 in last year’s Open generated headlines…
The performance has really helped and got me into this year’s Masters and WGCS. There was a big reaction when I returned home, a lot of people talked about it.
How was Augusta and did your Masters debut live up to expectations (he finished T32)?
I thought I was going to be nervous on the first tee but it was all right. I made a lot of putts and was really happy to open with such a great round (69). I got a lot of confidence from last year’s US Open, my first ever Major, and I’ve improved a lot since then. I think one day I’ll become a good player!
What are the strengths of your game?
My putting has definitely improved since the end of last
season and my driving is pretty good too. When I don’t play well it’s usually down to my iron play as I tend to miss a few greens here and there.
You must be under immense pressure to deliver the goods for the whole country?
I suppose it is similar to Justin Rose in England – there must be a lot of pressure on him when he goes back to play in the British Masters, especially when he is hosting the event this year! I have asked him about this and he said that’s just the way it is, you go back to your home country and there is a lot of expectation on you. It must also be the same for Matsuyama in Japan. But I suppose in the UK there are 10-15 players who are capable of taking the load. When I go back home, there are only one or two guys… but I do feel a lot of pressure when I go back – I’m always in a TV group playing with a Rory or a DJ. I’m still young and still learning how to deal with playing with the game’s top players.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt so far?
To believe in myself every day, because sometimes it’s hard. I’ve had some bad weeks in the past, but it’s all about how you deal and learn from those. I shot -8 in South Africa in the final round and from there everything turned, so I have to keep doing what I do well. Usually I play my best golf when I believe… and when I’ve got a smile on my face. That’s what I need to keep doing. My parents and coach have always told me to keep doing what I’m doing and good things will come.
What’s next for you?
My goal is to become a top 20 player in the world and I’ll be doing all I can to achieve this.
‘THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG KIDS CAPABLE OF BECOMING SUPERSTARS’