China's emerging star Li beats McIlroy to Dubai title
China's Li Haotong displayed nerves of steel to beat Rory McIlroy in a head-to-head battle and win the $3 million Omega Dubai Desert Classic. In an intense battle played out between the two players in the final group, Li managed to protect his one-shot lead at the start of the day by shooting a three-under-par round of 69 to tally a tournament-record 23-under total of 265.
McIlroy, who had surged ahead just after the turn, also made a 69 but a three-putt par on the par-5 13th hole, followed by a bogey on the par-4 16th, proved crucial as he finished on 266. It was 22-year-old Li's second win on the European Tour following his triumph at the 2016 China Open, "It was incredible to play with Rory. I gained a lot of experience from him. This win gives me a lot of confidence and will help me do better in the majors this year," said Li, who came third at last year's British Open at Birkdale.
This story is from the March 2018 edition of Golf Asia.
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This story is from the March 2018 edition of Golf Asia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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