Presidents Cup: China’s Li Haotong ready to rise to the occasion for International Team in Melbourne
- Li will become the first Chinese to play on the Presidents Cup International Team
- Chinese says he is looking forward to going up against Tiger Woods in Melbourne
International Team member Li Haotong said he is planning to showcase the growing strength of Chinese golf to the world by producing a winning display against a Tiger Woods-led United States Team in the Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia next week.
The 24-year-old Li will become the first golfer from mainland China to feature in the biennial team competition from December 9-15, an accomplishment he hopes will add further spark for the game to reach greater heights in his home nation.
A two-time European Tour winner, Li qualified automatically as one of the top eight golfers for the Ernie Els’ Internationals and he is determined to ensure a memorable debut by helping the team lift the Presidents Cup. Since 1994, the Internationals have won the Cup only once previously in 1998 when it was played at Royal Melbourne.
“Everyone in the team must play as best as we can. Then we may have a chance to win. It definitely means a lot to me to be on this team,” Li said. “I was quite close to being in the team in the last edition. I feel I put a lot of effort to get into this team. I just want to go there and show my golf to the world.”
After launching his career by winning the inaugural PGA Tour Series-China Order of Merit in 2014 following a three-win season, Li has blossomed into a leading international star. One of his triumphs on the European Tour came at the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic where he defeated reigning FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy with a final-hole birdie after a head-to-head battle.