Li Hoatong: Who is the Chinese golfer challenging Scottie Scheffler for The Open?

The leaderboard astatine the apical of the 153rd Open Championship is stacked with acquainted names specified arsenic large winners Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Matthew Fitzpatrick.

But Li Haotong from China, who past made the chopped astatine the Open successful 2018, is the nearest challenger to Scheffler heading into the last day.

It's an improbable communicative arsenic helium looks to go the archetypal subordinate from China to triumph a men's large - and lone the 3rd from Asia aft Hideki Matsuyama and Yang Yong-eun.

It would beryllium a singular crook of events if Li could pursuit down the satellite fig one, who holds a four-stroke vantage heading into the last round, and the 29-year-old has had a rollercoaster vocation to date.

He has adjacent been dubbed the "most handsome antheral successful China".

In a region of 1.4 cardinal people, that is rather the claim. Although according to Li, helium was not the 1 who started it.

It appears his nine shaper randomly stamped it connected 1 of his wedges arsenic a gag and present it's stuck.

He adjacent revealed connected Friday that helium substance a representation of his wedge to Phil Mickelson, who replied that it was a "shame" for China.

"It was fun", said Li.

Li came an awesome 3rd connected his Open debut successful 2017 but things had not gone to program since.

He was tied for 39th the pursuing twelvemonth but had failed to adjacent marque the chopped astatine the title since.

However, that changed this week erstwhile helium vaulted up the leaderboard with a beardown opening circular of 67, replicated that people successful his 2nd outing, past produced different coagulated 3rd circular of 69 connected Saturday to permission him successful 2nd spot with 18 holes to play.

It's wide that Li prefers to bash his talking connected the course. And the information helium is successful this presumption says a batch astir his resilience.

He astir walked distant from the athletics successful 2021 aft a nonaccomplishment of signifier and injury, but bounced backmost to triumph the BMW Invitational Open the pursuing June.

His signifier astatine Royal Portrush hasn't travel arsenic a full astonishment arsenic helium worked his mode backmost up the rankings to 111 successful the satellite and ended a adjacent three-year hold for a rubric erstwhile helium won the Qatar International successful February.

After his 3rd round, Li said helium was struggling with his plaything and the "yips" implicit the past 2 years.

He said helium did not cognize however helium had bounced backmost but said it was a "miracle".

To marque his Open show adjacent much remarkable, Li said helium restricted a batch of his signifier to the scope owed to the size of the crowds successful Portrush.

"I'll archer you what, the past mates weeks, I felt really, truly atrocious to beryllium honest," Li admitted.

"This week I hardly got connected the people to play due to the fact that I felt similar determination were truthful galore people, with people being truthful packed.

"I conscionable benignant of deed a fewer balls connected the scope and wasn't comfortable. Even connected our Thursday and Friday greeting sessions, I wasn't.

"But until today, it was really rather nice."

It's a feeling helium volition person to get utilized to. Unlike astatine the 2020 PGA Championship, erstwhile helium led aft 36 holes but fell away, helium has stayed successful interaction successful Northern Ireland.

And now, for the archetypal clip successful his vocation helium volition caput retired connected the closing time of a large successful the last pairing.

All eyes volition beryllium connected him, but it's a situation helium plans to clasp arsenic helium looks to daze Scheffler.

"I'm really rather looking guardant to it," helium said.

"I'll conscionable effort to play my champion retired determination and hopefully marque thing happen.

"It's going to beryllium exciting."

As the underdog against the sport's dense hitters, Li admits helium has thing to lose.

But arsenic helium said connected Friday: "I deliberation if I play my best, I tin vie with anyone."