Li Haotong Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Watch Li Haotong, who nearly quit the game 10 months ago, hole this outrageous birdie putt to win again

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 05:39:51 +0000

Li Haotong of China celebrates after holing a 50-foot birdie putt in a playoff to eventual win the BMW International Open. Stuart Franklin

By John Huggan

Say what you like about Li Haotong, when he wins he does it with some style. Ten months on from nearly quitting the game because he was so frustrated with his form, the 26-year-old from China is, for the third time and for the first time in four-and-a-half years, a winner on the DP World Tour. Leading from start-to-finish, Li, a member of the International side at the 2019 Presidents Cup, claimed the BMW International Open title. An eventful birdie on the first playoff hole was enough to beat Belgium’s Thomas Pieters after the pair tied on 22-under-par 266 at the Nord Eichenried course just outside Munich.

All of which sounds relatively straightforward. But it was anything but for Li, who had plummeted as low as 460th in the World Ranking at the end of 2021, a year in which he made his first halfway cut in October.

With three holes to play in regulation, the eventual playoff protagonists were tied on 20-under along with Ryan Fox of New Zealand. Fox finished with three pars, which wasn’t close to being good enough; both Li and Pieters made two birdies. But if that was exciting enough, it was nothing compared to the extra hole, the 18th, a 568-yard right-to-left dogleg par 5.

After two shots, Pieters was in a greenside bunker maybe 35 yards from the flag. An awkward shot and distance. Li, who got lucky when just missing a tree off the tee then skirting the water short and right of the green with his second, was just off the putting surface facing what looked like a relatively easy chip. Advantage Li.

Following Pieters explosion to around 15 feet (a reasonable effort in the circumstances), Li returned to his 2021 self by thinning his chip across the two-tier putting surface, the ball finishing a good 15 yards beyond the cup. Then, you guessed it, Li made the ridiculous and unlikely putt up and over the slope in the green for birdie, a feat that provoked a poor effort from a clearly stunned Pieters. Suddenly, it was all over.

Wow! ?

Haotong Li wins in style. One of the best putts he will hit in his career!#BMWInternationalOpen pic.twitter.com/1SeNxC9qa9

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 26, 2022

“I don’t have the words to describe how I feel right now,” said an emotional Li, whose last win came at the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic, where he memorably outduelled Rory McIlroy down the stretch. “When I hit that chip, I thought I had given away another chance. I can’t believe it has happened. Ten months ago, I had decided to literally quit golf. Then somehow, where I am now … it is golf and hard to describe. I have no idea how I won this playoff. It was an up-and-down battle. I hit a lot of good putts today, especially on the back nine. I already knew it was going to be super tough. I was just telling myself to hang in there. Win or lose I just wanted to play my best. And luckily, I did.”

That last bit isn’t quite true. Armed with a three-shot lead starting the final round, Li played erratically over the closing 18 holes, his six birdies countered by four bogeys (only one less than he made over the first 54 holes). But 70 was enough (just) to set up the win over Pieters, whose career is similarly resurgent this year. After victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links at the start of the year. The 30-year-old Belgian has shown further glimpses of the form that made him the star of the losing European Ryder Cup side at Hazeltine National in 2016. This was his third top-10 DP World Tour finish since that win in the Middle East.

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DP World Tour: UAE champs to the fore as Haotong on course for a momentous Munich moment

Matt Smith — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 06:10:54 +0000

By Matt Smith
China’s Li Haotong is 18 holes away from a wire-to-wire triumph at the BMW International Open and his first DP World Tour title in more than four years as he takes a three-stroke lead into the final round.

The 26-year-old, whose last victory came at the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, started the day with a one-stroke lead which he quickly extended with his third eagle of the week on the par five sixth hole and three further gains before the turn.

He came home level par after recording three birdies and three bogeys on the back nine to sign for a five-under 67 and a 20-under total, tightening his grip on the lead he’s held after each round at Golfclub München Eichenried.

Li, who equalled the course record of 62 on Thursday, will be joined in the final group by 2016 Ryder Cup player Thomas Pieters, who won his first Rolex Series title at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January — his sixth win on the DP World Tour.

Pieters was one under par through ten holes but came home in 31 strokes to sign for a six under 66, moving to within three strokes of Li on 17 under.

One stroke further back is Englishman Jordan Smith, who won his maiden DP World Tour title on German soil at the Porsche European Open in 2017. Sharing fourth place are current Ras Al Khaimah champion New Zealander Ryan Fox and Dutchman Darius van Driel on 15-under par.

“I was a lot more comfortable than I thought,” said Li. “Quite surprised. Just another great day again. Germany has been treating me very good so far.

“I didn’t expect an eagle on number six, and didn’t expect that birdie on 15 as well.

“The last time when I won in Dubai I was playing with Rory, and I thought I was trying to finish second that week. There’s no expectation. Even today, I played great, still have a three-shot lead but tomorrow will be a tough day. I just need to hang on in there, play my game. Expect everything. I just need to get comfortable as much as possible.”

Pieters added: “You know people are going to shoot 64, so I was getting a bit frustrated after about six or seven holes because I was only one-under and I had to save par a couple of times. It was very nice to shoot 31 on the back.

“People have come back from further behind. I just look forward to a lovely day tomorrow and hopefully a lot of birdies.”

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Fox in the hunt as Li Haotong stays ahead in Munich

Matt Smith — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 08:15:03 +0000

Li Haotong. DP World Tour

By Matt Smith
Li Haotong took a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the BMW International Open after carding a second-round 67 at Golfclub München Eichenried.

Seeking his first DP World Tour win since the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic, Li, from China, followed up Thursday’s course-record equalling 10-under par round with a five under 67 for a 15-under total.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, already a winner this season at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic, is bogey-free through 36 holes in the Bavarian state capital as he carded an eagle and six birdies, with his last gain of the day coming on the 18th hole to move to within a stroke of Li.

Daan Huizing is two strokes further back on 12-under par after a three-under round of 69, following on from a first-round 63. In a share of fourth are 2016 Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters and Englishman Jordan Smith, who is seeking a second DP World Tour win on German soil, on 11-under, while Maximilian Kieffer leads the home charge in solo sixth on 10-under par.

“I’m feeling great,” said Li. “I think I’ve only missed two cuts this year. It’s been working, especially off the tee, I’ve improved a lot and it’s back to where I was. I just need to keep grinding, keep improving and showing up.

“I was feeling the pressure on the last few holes. Hopefully I can just play my golf and keep calm.

“To be honest, I didn’t drive the ball as well as yesterday. My short game was okay. It depends when you get in the rough, the lie could be really bad, or it could be good. Sometimes you just need luck.”

RAK champ Fox: “I’m really happy. I did everything right the last couple of days and my short game has been really tidy — that’s been a big positive. I don’t think I’ve ever gone bogey-free for 36 holes. I’m happy and in with a chance over the weekend again.

“(Li’s score) proved there was a low number out there. We had a really nice group, I really enjoyed playing with Billy and Tom. We got it going for a while and fed off each other. It’s nice to be up there and shoot a decent score today and be there or thereabouts for tomorrow.

“I had a couple of really good shots just before the rain delay and I was really disappointed we stopped. Obviously we had no choice, it was pretty dark out there. It was a little scratchy the first couple of holes coming back, but I made a nice birdie on 11 and then a 35-footer on 14, then hit some good shots coming home after that. It took a little more to get the rhythm back, but I was happy that the half-scratchy shots I hit were still not that bad. That’s what golf’s about right? It’s not how good your good is, it’s how good your bad is, and my bad has been pretty good the last couple of days.”

Huizing added: “It was definitely not as smooth as yesterday but you can’t expect to shoot nine-under every day. I’m happy I got it to three-under with the way I played, it’s a good score. There’s definitely a couple of things to clean up, but that’s OK. We’re in a great position and that’s where I want to be.”

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DP World Tour: Li Haotong hits brilliant 62 at BMW International Open in Germany

Matt Smith — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 05:59:34 +0000

Li Haotong. DP World Tour

By Matt Smith
Li Haotong fired two sensational eagles in his last four holes sign for a 62 and tie the course record in Munich and open up a one-shot lead on day one of the 2022 BMW International Open.

Starting from the tenth tee, the two-time DP World Tour winner carded six birdies before eagles at the sixth and ninth — the front nine’s two par fives — took him to 10-under par.

The 26-year-old’s flawless 62 gave him a one-stroke advantage over nearest challenger Daan Huizing, who finished with back-to-back birdies to sign for a bogey-free 63.

Home favourite Nicolai von Dellingshausen made an eagle, seven birdies and a single bogey to sit alone in third on eigh-under.

Two strokes back in a share of fourth place are six golfers, including Ras Al Khaimah champ Ryan Fox and Daniel van Tonder.

Maximilian Kieffer provided one of the highlights of the day as he delighted the home crowds with an albatross on the par five 11th hole – the first of his career.

“It’s been an incredible day for me,” said Li, the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner. “I didn’t expect that because I spent a couple of weeks off in Dubai, which was hot — I didn’t practice much. I had a good start, two birdies on the first three holes. Then turned my back nine, I think I had six one-putts in a row, which helps. Then hit every fair I think.

“It helped me cool down mentally a little bit, low expectation, no expectation, just play golf and enjoy every shot.

“The last few weeks I’ve played solid, I just couldn’t put it all together. Hopefully this week I can use some experience from there and put things together.”

Huizing added: “I was hitting it well, good off the tee and I think that’s very important. But I holed some nice putts as well, that gets a round going when you convert pretty much every chance you get.”

Von Dellingshausen said: “I just saw (Li) on the leaderboard for the first time in 16, I was still leading then I saw him make eagle and then another one somewhere. I would have loved to make the eagle on 18, but it didn’t drop – that’s fine, I’m still very happy.”

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DP World Tour: Perez stays on form in Germany as Dubai’s Arnaus lurks with Li and Lagergren leading

Matt Smith — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 18:26:47 +0000

By Matt Smith
Victor Perez maintained his fine form at the Porsche European Open in Hamburg on Thursday as he signed for a 69 to sit two shots off the lead.

The Frenchman, who defeated Ras Al Khaikah champion Ryan Fox to claim the Dutch Open on Sunday, sits on three-under alongside Dubai-based Spaniard Adri Arnaus and five others.

The 29-year-old Perez carded five birdies and two bogeys in a first-round 69 to sit two back of Li Haotong and Joakim Lagergren.

“It felt really solid,” said Perez. “We got the best of the conditions, it was nice and calm when we started. The course plays really long after the rain yesterday. It’s about just driving the ball on the fairway and give yourself as many chances. Those par fives, you used to think they were birdie holes for sure. But they are definitely not here. You have to hit sometimes two great shots to give yourself a wedge. It’s a different mentality.”

Li added: “My approaches were really good today. I had a lot of birdies on the tough holes as well. I found my rhythm compared to last week. I just tried to play my golf and my game. I enjoyed it out there.”

Lagergren commented: “I’m very pleased. It’s a really tough course. It’s a long one and you don’t get any roll on the fairways at all. There’s some shots to get there, but if you’re a little bit off, it’s tough.”

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DP World Tour: Dubai Desert Classic champ Li Haotong hits a winner, but Gouveia upstages at Dutch Open

Matt Smith — Sat, 28 May 2022 11:24:29 +0000

By Matt Smith
It was looking good for former Dubai Desert Classic winner Li Haotong after hitting s 63, but Ricardo Gouveia birdied two of his last three holes to spoil the party at the 2022 Dutch Open.

Li had played nine holes in just 29 blows for the second time this season as he carded a brilliant 63 to set the target at nine under at Bernardus Golf.

The Chinese star famously denied Rory McIlroy the 2018 Dubai Classic title, and he has work cut out once again.

Li would lead the way after 36 holes but Gouveia made a move with an eagle on the 12th and then produced his big finish to get to double figures after a 66.

Gouveia is looking to re-establish himself on the DP World Tour after regaining his card as he finished second on the European Challenge Tour last season.

The Portuguese topped the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2015 and enjoyed an impressive debut campaign, earning himself a place in the field at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

Englishman Matt Wallace was at eight under after a 67 alongside Pole Adrian Meronk, who carded a 68.

After his round, Gouveia said: “I just played very solid from the beginning, I holed a few good putts today again, I think that was the key, and kept it in play so when I missed a few shots I was able to recover well.

“I made a lot of birdies so far and I think that shows my putting has been good the last couple days and I hope I can continue into the weekend.”

Li added: “I put every ball in safer places and created a lot of birdie chances from there. I need to be myself and stay calm, and hopefully I can shoot another couple rounds like this.”

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13 golfers projected to earn Masters invites through the final World Ranking of 2018

Golf Digest Middle East — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 18:59:09 +0000

Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour
Branden Grace (South Africa) watches his putt on the third hole green during the first round of The Northern Trust at Ridgewood Country Club on August 23, 2018 in Paramus, New Jersey.

By Ryan Herrington
Branden Grace finished T-34 on Sunday at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, shooting a one-under 287 for the week at Leopard Creek Golf Club, but it was as good as a victory for the 30-year-old South African. The finish, 13 strokes back of winner David Lipsky, in the last European Tour event of 2018 will likely be enough to keep him at the No. 48 spot in the World Ranking when the year’s final list comes out in two weeks.

And with that he’ll be playing in the Masters in April.

All players in the top 50 in the year’s final ranking earn invitations to compete at Augusta National Golf Club. Grace is one of 13 golfers in the projected top 50 who hasn’t already qualified for the first major of 2019.

Here’s a look at the projected final ranking of the year:

The Top 50 at the end of 2018! #OWGR pic.twitter.com/vKkYtvDJTj

— Nosferatu (@VC606) December 16, 2018

And here’s a list of the others that are projected to qualify who weren’t in the field already:
Alex Noren
Tyrrell Hatton
Rafa Cabrera-Bello
Eddie Pepperell
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Ian Poulter
Li Haotong
Thorbjorn Olesen
Matt Wallace
Lucas Bjerregaard
Emiliano Grillo
Branden Grace

No. 51 on the projected final ranking is Aaron Wise, who already is going to Augusta by virtue of his AT&T Byron Nelson win in May. Of those between Nos. 51 and 60, seven must now find another way to earn a spot into the Masters.

52 Ben An
53. Shugo Imahira
54. Brian Harman
56. Abraham Ancer
57. Luke List
59. Alexander Bjork
60. Daniel Berger

Between January and April, winners of any PGA Tour event awarding full FedEx Cup points will earn a spot. Also players inside the top 50 in the World Ranking a week before the Masters will be added to the field.

To those still on the outside looking in, best of luck gentlemen. You’ve got your work cut out for you.

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The finish wasn’t pretty, but Justin Rose defends his title at the Turkish Airlines Open and returns to World No. 1

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 00:48:49 +0000

Warren Little
Justin Rose acknowledges the crowds after his victory at Turkish Airlines Open.

By John Huggan
ANTALYA, Turkey — There was more than a little bit of stumbling and fumbling along the way, but Justin Rose eventually claimed the Turkish Airlines Open title in a playoff with Li Haotong. The pair, two-thirds of the final group on the final day, had earlier tied on 17 under par over four rounds at the Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort on Turkey’s southern shore.

Which sounds pretty good only until a wee bit more detailed look at the leader board reveals Rose reached 19 under par after 70 holes. And that both men were 18 under on the 72nd tee. In other words, Rose, the defending champion and needing a win to get back to World No. 1, finished bogey-bogey; Li contented himself with a dropped shot at the last, taking four shots to get down from just under 150 yards. Pretty this was not.

And it got worse.

After watching Rose two-putt for par from roughly 25 feet on their second visit to the 18th green, Li settled down over his 12-footer for birdie and what would have been his third European Tour victory. Would have been. Never online, the ball missed low and left and, not insignificantly as things turned out, ran maybe a yard past. The second putt was … how to put this … awful. Really awful, the ball missing the cup by maybe an inch on the right.

The sad thing was, over their first 16 holes, both men had put on a terrific display. Yes, each rode his luck at times, but the general standard gave no hint of the carnage that was to follow. Li’s pars at the seventh and eighth holes had more to do with good luck than good judgement. Rose’s pitch to the par-5 12th was headed well past until it struck the pin and stopped a few feet away. And one hole later his tee shot was headed for oblivion in the right trees until it hit an unfortunate individual on the left knee (yes, Rose did shout “fore!”).

Otherwise, each played some terrific stuff. Li’s highlight was a 3-wood to the par-5 15th green that pulled to a halt no more than two-feet away, the resulting eagle hauling the Chinese player into a tie for the lead on 18 under par.

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Li and Rose played solid golf through 16 holes on Sunday, only to stumble at the finish.

Rose was his usual clinical self—at least until his last two holes in regulation. Not one bogey and five birdies dotted his card to that point.

“There were moments out there where it looked like both of us weren’t holding our nerve very well,” said Rose, who picked up €1,166,660 for what was the first successful defense of a title in his career. He also moved to third in a Race to Dubai, although he cannot win that year-long race to go with his FedEx Cup title on the PGA Tour. For reasons he was loathe to reveal—“they will become apparent next year”—Rose said rather mysteriously that he will not be playing in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in two weeks.

“But this was a fun battle overall,” he continued. “And obviously I do have to spare a thought for Haotong. That was a tough way to finish. He hit a positive putt to try and win, but that 18th green is very tough. Getting back to No. 1 is something to be proud of. It doesn’t make you one under par on the first tee the next time you play, but it’s something to be proud of for sure.”

As for Li, who had started the day with a three-shot edge over Rose, even his broken English was up to the task of conveying exactly his understandable disappointment.

“It is a tough day for me,” said the 23-year old, who memorably outdueled Rory McIlroy down the stretch to win the Dubai Desert Classic in January. “I think I played well the whole week, but didn’t hole a few putts on the last and that was it.”

A little further down the leader board there were signs of redemption for two Grand Slam champions whose recent play has been more minor than major. Former U.S. Open and PGA champion Martin Kaymer’s closing 66, five under par and bogey-free, lifted the German into a tie for fifth alongside Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark, one shot head of Danny Willett.

“I played very well,” confirmed Kaymer, who dropped only two shots all week. “I could have made a few more putts here and there, but the game was really spot on this week. I think I gave myself enough chances, and I needed a good finish to get into (the season ending DP World Tour Championship) in Dubai. Hopefully that was enough. But I’m really looking forward to playing next week [when the European Tour plays its next playoff event in his native South Africa]. I’m very close.”

Former Masters champion Willett had less to say about his T-7 finish, but the Englishman, one of 20 in the 78-man field, must have been encouraged by his play after so long in the doldrums. In recording his third top-10 of the season and only his fifth on the European Tour since winning at Augusta in 2016, the 31-year-old Yorkshireman hit an array of splendid shots. As with Kaymer, only his putting let him down over the closing holes.

Which was a familiar tale at the end of an ultimately strange day.

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A Love Li jubbly Sunday shootout with Rory poised

Kent Gray — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 15:43:38 +0000

By Kent Gray
He began three behind, quickly surged two clear and eventually finished a stroke adrift. At the end of it all – and there was a lot to take in elsewhere – Rory McIlroy was right back to where he started as the player to beat in this utterly absorbing Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

After a sizzling 64 to get to -20, Haotong Li will start Sunday entirely capable of closing out the €3 million European Tour event. You only have to rewind to last summer’s Open Championship and the 63 that propelled him to solo third at Royal Birkdale for proof of the Chinese star’s closing qualities, or the 64 that landed the Volvo China Open in 2016.

But Li’s one stroke cushion over McIlroy is far from a comfy one even if the Northern Irishman couldn’t quite keep up his early heroics on a breathless moving day that had spilled over from Friday’s fog delay.

Five birdies in his seven second round makeup holes early Saturday saw McIlroy sign for a 64 and overtake Jamie Donaldson atop the leaderboard. There weren’t the same fireworks in a third round 68 although a homeward nine negotiated in 32 strokes, sparked by an eagle at 10 and closed out with two birdies in his final three holes, ensures the world No.11 takes ample momentum into the final round.

“Hopefully that’s the bad one out of the way,” McIlroy said afterwards.

“I didn’t get off to too bad a start, just a couple of loose ones. Missed a short one on 4 and made bogey on 8. That wasn’t too good. But to come back with a five-under back nine was good. It was good to knock that birdie in at the last and stay within one of Li.

“I’ll probably need to play a bit better tomorrow to win, but you know, it’s two weeks into the season and I’ve given myself a second chance to win a tournament. Looking forward to tomorrow.”

Rory scrambles from a bunker.

He’s not the only one. Alexander Levy is in an ace position, quite literally, after a 65 that included a hole-in-one on the 4th and seven birdies. The Frenchman had that could of, should of feeling too after back-to-back bogeys at 15 and 16 stalled his Saturday charge.

Haydn Porteous is also at -17 after matching Levy’s 65 and the South African is not immune to winning as his D+D Real Czech Masters victory last season and 2016 Joburg Open triumph illustrate.

A best-of-the day 63 has 2016 Ryder Cupper Andy Sullivan back in familiar territory at -16 after a lean 2017, a shot clear of Englishman David Horsey who has been clinging onto the coattails of the ridiculously low scoring all week.

But for starters on Sunday at least, the focus will be on the 12.43pm two ball of McIlroy and Li. The latter was modest when asked how he fancied his chances of snaring a second European Tour title.

“Well, I’ve never been this this position before, so it’s going to be fun out there tomorrow. Hopefully I can do my best and have some low scores,” Li said.

McIlroy knows that’s a real possibility after being paired with Li in the third round while the third member of their threesome, Donaldson, faded with a 75.

The best of Li Haotong's flawless third round 64 ?#ODDC18 pic.twitter.com/wvWU7Bzs28

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 27, 2018

“He was very good, very solid,” McIlroy said of Li. “Drives it well. Hits his irons well. He putted very well, actually. He holed everything he sort of needed to so I know that if he continues to play like that, he’ll be tough to beat tomorrow.”

For all that, McIlroy insists he has plenty in reserve after consigning the third round 68 to “not a true reflection of where my game is at”.

“It would be great to put my name on that trophy for a third time. This is one of my favourite tournaments of the year, a place I’ve always done well at, some good memories. Maybe that experience of winning a couple of times around here, being in contention quite a lot, will help me tomorrow.”

Li and co. can’t say they haven’t been warned.

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Olazábal, DeChambeau and Li Haotong headline late drawcard entries for Abu Dhabi

Kent Gray — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 09:21:14 +0000

By Kent Gray
Ryder Cup legend and two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal and eccentric American Bryson DeChambeau will join the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship’s “Magnificent Seven” in the chase for the famed Falcon trophy.

Rising South Korean star Seung-Su Han and 2015 Champion Gary Stal (France) have also accepted special invites to the $3 million European Tour event starting Thursday while Li Haotong and Branden Grace will also tee it up.

Jose Maria Olazabal

The 11th hour drawcard announcements add further spice to the opening leg of the now four-event Desert Swing which has attracted the PR-themed “Magnificent Seven” of world No.1 Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, Matt Kuchar and Tommy Fleetwood, the defending champion.

DeChambeau, 24, created global headlines when he became the fifth golfer in history to win both the NCAA Division I championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year.

The world No. 94, who made his PGA Tour breakthrough at last year’s John Deere Classic, is no stranger to Abu Dhabi having thrilled the galleries with an opening, eight-under 64 to take the lead in on The National in 2016.

The American went into the weekend tied-second with Rory McIlroy before Rickie Fowler’s impressive final round performance saw him lift the famous Falcon trophy.

“2018 is going to be a massive year for me and playing in Abu Dhabi is a great place to start,” said DeChambeau.

“The field is looking really strong so I’m looking forward to testing myself against some of the best players in the world right now.”

Rising star Seung-Su Han, who is currently ranked 78th in the world, has had a stellar 2017. After winning the Casio Open and finishing runner up at the Fujisankei Classic and JGT Championship Mori Building Cup Shishido Hills, all in Japan, Han is looking to climb further up the world rankings with a strong performance in Abu Dhabi:

Seung Su Han

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience playing for the first time here in Abu Dhabi, especially with such a strong field this year. I’m just going to focus on my game and give the best account of myself that I can; I can’t wait to get out on the course,” said Han.

Han and DeChambeau will hope to draw inspiration from newly announced players Li Haotong and Branden Grace.

China’s Haotong has had a standout couple of years, winning the Volvo China Open in 2016 before almost achieving the unthinkable and winning the Open in 2017, where he finished in a commendable third position alone, all before his 22nd birthday.

South African Branden Grace is sitting pretty in the world rankings in 30th place. In 2017, Grace won the Nedbank Golf Challenge and has shown serious form in Abu Dhabi, finishing in T-13 last year’s Championship.

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