China’s Li Haotong rolls back the years in Macau, grabs early lead at International Series event ahead of LIV pair
- Surprised Chinese golfer cards seven-under-par 63 at Macau Golf & Country Club
- Mito Pereira, Pat Perez and Yuta Sugiura finish shot further back, with 11 players tied on five under
Li Haotong rolled back the years with an impressive opening round at the International Series Macau, and said he was surprised to have finished Thursday with the early lead.
Once the great hope of Chinese golf, Li had an awful 2023, missing nearly every cut and struggling with all parts of his game, and last won at the 2022 BMW International.
But the 28-year-old has already had a top 10 this year, at the Dubai Desert Classic, and in a field including 19 LIV golfers shot a seven-under-par 63 to end the day one ahead of the chasing pack.
“Played really solid, gave myself a lot of birdie chances,” said Li, who has won seven times as a professional, including at the UAE tournament in 2018.
“I wasn’t that comfortable with some of the tee shots, but it was a solid day. This is my fourth or fifth time here. This time around the experience is a little bit better and hopefully I can keep playing like this and see how we go.
“I was just hoping to play steady today. No way did I think I would shoot seven under.”
Li’s only hiccup was a bogey at the par-4 10th, which dropped him back to four under after a front nine that started with two birdies in his first three holes.
LIV Golf pair Mito Pereira and Pat Perez made the early running, carding matching 64s and were later joined in a tie for third by Yuta Sugiura.
“I am really tired,” said Pereira, who is playing for the fourth straight week. “I am ready to go home but it’s the last push. I am trying to give it my best.”
Matthew Cheung leads the Hong Kong contingent after a four-under 66, with Taichi Kho shooting a 68 and Leon D’Souza a 69.
A group of 11 players ended the day on five under, including Scott Hend, who won the Macau Open twice on the same course, in 2013 and 2015.
The Australian is out to make amends for letting the New Zealand Open slip from his grasp two weeks ago. There, he three-putted the 18th to hand Takahiro Hataji a one-shot victory.
Also in the logjam at five-under par was 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, but the 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia had a 72 with five bogeys and his fellow LIV-playing Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra carded a four-over 74.
Former US Ryder Cup player Anthony Kim also struggled to a 74 in only his seventh round of competitive golf since returning from a 12-year absence, and his first outside LIV.
