Haiyang: The always exciting yet erratic Li Chao won his third career China Tour event when he captured the Shandong leg at Tiger Beach Golf Links with a one-stroke victory over Yuan Hao.
The 26-year-old Beijing native birdied three of the last four holes to close with a 2-over 74 for his first win of the year. Li, who started the day with a three-shot lead, bogeyed three of his first four holes to make the turn at 39. By the 14th hole he was four strokes behind Yuan who started his back nine with birdies on three of his first five holes.
As Yuan faltered with a bogey on 15, Li started his birdie blitz. With the players tied going into the final hole, both put their approaches within eight feet of the flag. With Yuan putting first, the Guangdong native missed. After getting a good look at the line, Li made no mistake and drained his putt.
“When I walked up onto the 18th green I realised I had a fantastic situation because Yuan Hao’s putt would show me the line. That’s exactly what I was hoping for when I executed my second shot. Yuan Hao put his ball in a really good position and I was telling myself just put it just in front of his. I did it, and I guess I was good enough to read the line after he putted along it,” said the Shanghai-based Li.
The winner of last year’s China Tour Order of Merit admitted he wasn’t even thinking of victory after falling four off the lead midway through his back nine.
“I wasn’t even going for the championship after I finished on the 14th. I thought keeping second place would be the best I could do for the day, because I was four shots back and there were five holes to play,” he explained.
“I thought I needed four more birdies to catch him and I knew that was not an easy goal. But luckily, I made two birdies to get even while he was making bogeys.”
For Yuan who closed with an even-par 72, the defeat left a bitter aftertaste after leading the tournament at the mid-way mark and then watching his four-stroke cushion disappear with only four holes to play.
“I have already done my best,” said Yuan of his runner-up finish. “This is the closest I have got to winning on the Omega China Tour. It’s just that Li Chao played very well. Continuously getting birdies is not easy at all.”
China No. 1 Zhang Lianwei finished with a tournament low 68 to finish alone in third. The Guangdong native had been derailed by a second round 80, but came back with a third-round 73.
He said was pleased with being able to finish with strong rounds and was particularly complimentary of Tiger Beach’s links-style layout.
“This course is super hard. It would be great for international competitions,” he said.
Li Chao finished the tournament with a 72-hole aggregate score of 3-over 291. Huang Mingjie (71) and Qiu Zhifeng (73) were equal fourth, seven off the pace, while Liu Qiang (74) was a stroke further back. Top amateur Wu Ashun, the first round co-leader, closed with a 77, to finish 12 back.