Dave Wilson
Multiple Authors
AUGUSTA, Ga. — It has been fairly a week for Haotong Li. The 30-year-old Chinese professional who lives in Shanghai bought to satisfy Kevin Hart throughout the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, calling it “the best day of my life so far.” But Thursday may need been one of many worst.
The perpetrator, he mentioned: the lobster roll and poke bowl he ate for lunch.
“Went to the toilet last night a lot of times,” he mentioned Friday. “This morning when I got to the golf course [I was] still feeling really bad and kind of, like, [living] in the toilet.”
Li mentioned he was going to attempt to play and withdraw if needed. The outlook was bleak. “No energy,” he mentioned. “Fuzzy, want to throw up.”
Michael Jordan had his “Flu Game” in 1997. Haotong Li had the second spherical of the 2026 Masters. After capturing a four-under 32 on the second 9, he discovered himself within the prime 10. Now, after one other 3-under 69 on Saturday, he isn’t out of this factor. Li heads into Sunday 4 pictures off the lead, tied for seventh and paired with two-time champion Scottie Scheffler.
“Still battling,” Li mentioned Saturday. Not the weather or the course. His abdomen.
Without the digestive difficulties, Li’s story of resilience would nonetheless be outstanding. He had a breakout efficiency at The Open in 2017, when he got here out of nowhere to shoot a blistering 63 on Sunday and completed third behind Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar. But it hasn’t been easy crusing since then. Li hadn’t performed at Augusta National since 2019, when he performed the primary two rounds with Tiger Woods. And he had to earn his PGA Tour card by ending within the prime 10 on the DP World Tour final yr. He did not have a lot momentum as he made his return to Augusta; he had missed his earlier 4 cuts coming into this week.
But Li performs properly on the most important levels — on the PGA Championship in 2020, he led after 36 holes — and his outsized character has added enjoyable to one of the vital buttoned-up environments in sports activities.
In February, Li advised the “Smylie Show” that he realized English from watching Kevin Hart. He mentioned he hoped to sooner or later meet him, with none concept he would run into him Wednesday on the Par 3 Contest. Naturally, Li did not maintain again on the occasion.
“You’re my hero!” he yelled, then exclaimed, “Let’s f—ing go!” on dwell tv. He took photographs and movies and cheered on his famously supportive mother — at a skilled match, she as soon as rolled up her shorts and waded into a pond to get a putter he had angrily tossed in there — as she hit pictures within the Par 3 Contest.
Li may need questionable style in regional eating alternatives, however he has by no means lacked enthusiasm. Or candor, apparently. The mixture makes him one of the vital quotable gamers in golf, and a favourite of different gamers on Tour for leisure throughout a spherical.
“He did not shut up for 18 holes,” Cameron Smith mentioned about a follow spherical the 2 shared in 2019 on the Presidents Cup. “He was quite impressive. I’ve never heard that many words come out of one mouth in four hours.”
Li’s Sunday pairing will reunite him with Scheffler, his enjoying companion within the closing spherical of final July’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush, the place Scheffler received and Li completed fourth. Reporters observed Li and Scheffler each laughing throughout their spherical, asking Li what it was all about.
“I just said, ‘Is there any time I can practice with you when I go to the PGA Tour,’ and he said yes,” Li mentioned, based on Golf.com. “But I said, when I text you, you better reply to me.”
Scheffler replied, “Haotong who?” Li recalled, laughing and calling Scheffler “just a lovely guy to play with.”
Li practically retired from golf in 2021 after lacking 13 of 16 cuts on the DP World Tour. After profitable a match in Dubai over none apart from Masters co-leader Rory McIlroy in 2018, he went over 4 years with out carding a win. In one match in 2021, he shot an 84 in a spherical that included an eagle and a 12.
“His good is very good, and his bad is very bad,” his caddy, Jady de Beer, advised Golf.com throughout The Open final yr. But at The Open, and once more right here, the excellent appears to beat all the things else.
“I just [feel] super calm every time [I] play in majors,” he mentioned Thursday.
During Saturday’s spherical, a number of followers from China adopted his each transfer. Zheng Gang Shen of Hainan, China, mentioned he has gone to look at Li a few occasions of their native nation. He mentioned different Chinese golfers look as much as him, and that he is raised the standard of different execs there as an inspiration, and he is pleased with how in style Li’s grow to be.
“He’s getting better and better and better,” Shen mentioned. “It’s a big comeback. He has a very good personality. All the American golfers love him, just like us.”
Li mentioned after Friday’s and Saturday’s rounds that he was stunned by how properly he performed. He appears to handle to lift his recreation on the Masters. He’s made the minimize in all 4 of his appearances right here. In his final spherical right here in 2019, he fired a 68 and completed sturdy with six birdies on the second 9.
He mentioned Friday that regardless of his illness, Augusta appeared to be the treatment.
“Definitely,” he mentioned. “Major makes me feel good.”
Li has had a star flip this week and will likely be close to the highest of the leaderboard at first of Sunday’s closing spherical of the Masters with an outdoor likelihood to drag off a surprising win. But he mentioned Saturday that aggressive golf hasn’t been the perfect a part of his week.
“I believe crucial is I so enjoy Wednesday with my mom,” he mentioned. ” Obviously, met Kevin Hart in person. [Wednesday was more important] than a golf tournament.”
