Haotong Li hits SHOCKING bunker shot to end dream of home win at WGC
Haotong Li blades bunker shot into penalty area to fall out of contention at WGC-HSBC Champions.
Haotong Li looked all set to be in hot contention for a home victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions heading into the final round, but those hopes ended abruptly when blading a bunker shot on the 13th hole of the third round.
Li led after day one following a stunning round of 8-under 64, but then fell back into the chasing pack with a second-round 72.
He then marched back to the top of the leaderboard early on day three when playing his first six holes in 5-under to move up to 13-under par and ahead of the 36-hole leaders who were just teeing off.
But then the wheels started coming off, and quickly.
A bogey at the very birdieable par-5 eighth was followed by another dropped shot at the par-4 10th, before a nightmare unfolded at the unlucky par-4 13th.
At 11-under par, and still very much in the mix for home glory, Li found the greenside bunker with his approach shot and then proceeded to blade his bunker shot over the back of the green and into the penalty area.
WATCH LI'S BLADED BUNKER SHOT BELOW...
Haotong Li picked his bunker shot on the 13th hole clean, and his ball found the water.
Sitting T4 and two shots back at the time, he finished with a triple bogey, which dropped him 5 shots off the lead.
He is currently -8 and T10 at WGC-HSBC Champions. pic.twitter.com/cCIJYIZzDp
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 2, 2019
It would lead to a disastrous triple-bogey seven, and sent Li back into the pack on 8-under.
He followed up with a birdie at the next hole, to his credit, but then played the final four holes in 3-over par for a round of 2-over 74.
Li carded a level-par 72 in the final round and went on to finish in a tie for 24th on 6-under par, 13 strokes off the winning score.
Rory McIlroy won the tournament with a birdie at the first extra hole, defeating defending champion Xander Schauffele.
