At the end of the suspense after a dantesque showdown with the Belgian Thomas Pieters, the Chinese Haotong Li wins the BMW International Open 2022 on the first play-off hole. He returns to winning the DP World Tour after 4 years and 149 days of starvation. Romain Langasque, the best Frenchman, took fifth place in the tournament at -17 (271) ahead of Frédéric Lacroix, tenth at -15 (273).
L.V.
A breathtaking finish! In the lead at the start of this 4th and last lap from BMW International Open, Haotong Li finally won on the first play-off hole against his main opponent, the Belgian Thomas Pieters. But God it was difficult for the Chinese!
With three points ahead of his playing partner, Thomas Pieters, in this final game (-20 against -17), Haotong Li was very scared despite a super solid start with three successful birdies on his first five holes.
His five-point lead over the Belgian then left him the clear path to a third success on the European Tour. But we know that in sport, and especially in golf, as long as the ball has not reached its final goal, anything can happen.
Birdie
Par
BirdieHaotong Li makes a hot start and now leads by five ????#BMWInternationalOpen pic.twitter.com/U3Q8XAcEj0
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 26, 2022
Alternating full-track face-offs and other much looser ones, the Shanghai native slowly but surely saw the Fleming return in his rear-view mirror, victorious in January at Abu Dhabi du premier Rolex Series of the season of DP World Tour.
Four bogeys for a single birdie between holes 6 and 15 for Li against four birdies and a single error for Pieters at the same time. The two men find themselves tied at -20 on the green of the 15th which could have been the main witness of a resounding turn of events.
Missing the target for the par, the Chinese would have grazed the ball at address to attempt the bogey. After a few minutes of questioning and the arrival of the referee, it was finally decided that Li would not receive an additional penalty point.
That is outrageous @Thomas_Pieters! ???????? pic.twitter.com/wifY30Zx9I
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 26, 2022
In a now match play version in a stroke play format, the duo went to -21 on 16th then Li took the lead at -22 on 17th before Pieters responded with a seventh and final birdie on par 5 on 18th. Play- off!
We believe the Belgian very close to celebrating a seventh victory on the European Tour, finding himself in three on the green of 18 less than four meters from the target while his opponent, after a completely missed chip near the play water behind the flag swings his ball more than eight meters from the hole, on the second plateau below.
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
But miraculously, his return putt, remotely controlled by superior minds, ended up in the hole. Birdy! A nice spilled cream that clearly hits Thomas Pieters mentally, who sees his putt passed to the right of the target.
After 4 years and 149 days of starvation, Haotong Li returned to success on the European Tour, having led the tournament from start to finish thanks in particular to a Thursday of fire completed in 62 (-10) without the slightest error.
« I can’t describe how I feel now, in this momentloose on the verge of tears the winner. Ten months ago, I was considering quitting high-level golf. And look today where I am… I didn’t know if I could win this play-off. I kept saying to myself in my heart: “Hang on”! I just wanted to give my best. And that’s what finally happened… »
Romain Langasque, abandoned by his putter
In the shot for the win (he was tied for the lead after Li’s bogey at 15), Ryan Foxagain he, offers himself third place at -20 (268), his fourth top 3 after his triumph at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic on February 13 and his two second places in the Soudal Open and at Dutch Open. The New Zealander remains more than ever firmly attached to his 7th place in the European Tour Ranking.
Author of a frustrating 69 (-3) due to a putter that remained almost cold all day, Romain Langasque nevertheless signs an excellent fifth place at -17 (271) in the company of the Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal and German Nicolai von Dellingshausen. This is his best result in 2022 on the DP World Tour, he who remained in an excellent top 10 (7th in Scandinavian Mixed) on June 12.
A breath of fresh air for Fred Lacroix
End of the tournament also radiant for Frederic Lacroix, lacking convincing results for several months now. The player of the Team St Laurent, 66 (-6) today, thus grabs tenth place at -15 (273). A real breath of fresh air for the one who finished November 28 5th in Joburg Opentournament reduced to two rounds due to the pandemic linked to the Omicron virus.
Still in the tricolor clan, follow Antoine Rozner (15th to -13), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (32nd at -10) and Victor Perezonly 53rd at -7 after his 75 (+3) of the day…
Le leaderboard
The leaderboard of other French people
Photo : Getty Images
