China's Li Haotong hopes to use Hong Kong Open as springboard to hit the big time
China No 1 was just edged in April's Shenzhen Open, a European Tour event, and wants to do better
China's Li Haotong is hoping to use the UBS Hong Kong Open to launch his career in the big time.
The 20-year-old Li was poised to win his first European Tour event in April at the Shenzhen Open. However, he lost to Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat in a sudden-death play-off.
It would be amazing to win somewhere quite close to home and after coming quite close at Shenzhen earlier this year that helped with my confidence
With Hong Kong just across the border from that disappointment, Li is hoping to make amends at Fanling.
"It would be amazing to win somewhere quite close to home and after coming quite close at Shenzhen earlier this year that helped with my confidence," said Li.
"To win there would have let me play some of the biggest tournaments in the world with these guys here today and I will be trying my best again this week in Hong Kong."
The US$2 million Hong Kong tournament is co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Hong Kong Golf Association.
It will be Li's seventh European Tour event.