Volvo China Open: Li Haotong fires seven birdies and an eagle in the third round to surge into contention
- A triple bogey on the par-four fourth hole cost the Chinese star the lead at the Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen but he remains in contention
- Li is three strokes behind Zhang Jin, who leads the tournament on seven under par heading into the final round
Former champion Li Haotong gave a clinical display of the talent that took him to number 32 in the world just three years ago by posting a five-under-par 67 in the third round of the Volvo China Open on Saturday.
Li, 26, bagged an incredible seven birdies and an outrageous eagle-two on the final hole and would likely have been leading the event had he not made a costly triple-bogey seven on the par-four fourth hole at Genzon Golf Club.
Should he maintain the same form in today’s final round, Li would become the first double winner of the China Open event, now in its 27th year.
“The 18th tee was brought forward today and was playing downwind, so an eagle was always a possibility with a good drive,” said Li, the champion in 2016. “My ball was only a few paces from the edge of the green so it was not a tough putt to hole.
“In truth, my game hasn’t really been all that good this week, but I’m still in with a chance. Sometimes golf is like that – you get good results even when you don’t play all that well, and today was like that.”
