China’s Li Hao-tong produced a stunning final round to become the second successive home winner of the Volvo China Open as Chile’s Felipe Aguilar finally cracked under the pressure.
Li carded a flawless 64 at Topwin Golf and Country Club to finish 22 under par and become the second Chinese player to win a European Tour event on home soil, following in the footsteps of 2015 champion Wu Ashun.
The 20-year-old recorded three top-10 finishes in seven events on the European Tour last season, including losing out in a play-off for the Shenzhen International, but had struggled to replicate such form on the PGA Tour or second-tier Web.com Tour in 2016.
“The start of this year has given me a lot of hard times,” said the world number 237, who will climb around 100 places in the rankings.
“Even though I worked hard I still played badly, especially last week. I worked hard there and couldn’t control my ball. I was not even thinking I could make the cut this week.
“On my third shot on the 18th it’s the most nervous I have been in my whole life. I just tried to relax myself and I’m really, really happy to hold the trophy here.
“It means a lot, especially after I won the Volvo China junior event in 2010 and also my first professional event was the Volvo China Open (in 2011, aged 15).”
Li began the day two shots off the lead and, despite three birdies in the first seven holes, was briefly three behind when Aguilar went one better with birdies at the first, third, fifth and seventh.
However, Li birdied the eighth, 10th and 11th to draw level for the first time and — although Aguilar also birdied the 11th to edge back in front — Li made the most of a stroke of good fortune on the 15th, where his wayward drive bounced out of thick rough and finished on a cart path, entitling him to a free drop.
From there he produced a superb pitch to four feet and holed the birdie putt, while in the group behind, Aguilar then saw his own birdie putt from similar distance catch the edge of the hole and stay out.
The decisive moment came in dramatic fashion on the 16th as Aguilar completely mis-hit his tee shot and found the water 30 yards short of the green, the resulting double bogey dropping him two shots behind.
And moments later Li tapped in from two feet for birdie on the 17th to effectively seal victory, although he only appeared to become aware of his three-shot lead when he looked at the leaderboard — at some length and in apparent disbelief — on the 18th.
“When I had my tee-shot, I walked to my second shot there and I was thinking I need to go hybrid to get to the front edge to give me an easy chip,” Li added. “But my caddie said, ‘Hao-tong, you’re already three shots in the lead, you’ve just got to lay up and make par to win’. So thanks to him!”
Aguilar, who had led since a 65 in the second round on Friday, had to settle for a closing 69 and outright second on 19 under, with England’s Richard Bland, Germany’s Marcel Siem and Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard a shot further back in a tie for third.
The 41-year-old was able to reflect on the positives after missing the cut in six of his last seven events before this week, adding: “It’s a good week. Before you start playing, if someone tells you you’re going to finish second you take it.
“It was a good week except for one hole, one swing, but I’m quite happy with the way I played.
“ I remember in 2008 on the 16th at the Irish Open I hit it in the water and finished second behind Richard Finch. I’ve finished second here and if my career continues the same way I’m quite happy.
“I haven’t been playing well, this was a turning point. I’m into the Olympics now, representing my country, so there are too many positive things to worry about one shot.
“I’m going to have my wife as a caddie, she’s going to be really happy, so it’s going to be a really great experience.”
