He returned to a reasonable week in Malaysia, then resumed his brand of golf by firing at flags and holing enough putts to post the lowest start ever in this World Golf Championship.
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A few of the world’s top golfers are on show in China this weekend, but it could be the performance of a lesser-known player that sparks interest in one of the game’s most lucrative growing markets. He posted a bogey-free round with nine birdies, including five on his back nine.
Jordan Spieth’s description of his trophy collection from an incredible season brings to mind a scene in Caddyshack when Lacy Underall is at Ty Webb’s house and keeps finding uncashed checks littered about the living room. His name popped up. “I’m making a lot of putts and that’s fun”, he said. “I came in with very little confidence in my trust of what I am trying to do in my swing”. “I will just have another day of rest”, he added.
Spieth began the day 10 shots behind halfway leader Kevin Kisner, but carded nine birdies and no bogeys to close to within three shots of his fellow American, who carded his first bogeys of the week in a third round of 70.
Kisner had an unblemished round of six birdies, which has given him an overall two-shot lead, while first-round leader Branden Grace has dropped to four shots off the pace. Li wasted no time getting the Chinese gallery fired up when he opened with four straight birdies on his way to a 66.
He said: “It’s beyond my expectations”. He challenged for a PGA Tour midway through the season until fading to finish No. 49 on the money list, at least securing Web.com status for next year.
The round could have been even better, but for a double bogey six on his sixth hole and a cold putter.
He finished with a bold move.
“When you achieve those goals and you have those trophies in your possession, that’s what is important to me”, he said. I didn’t put myself in much trouble. “You just have to get the ball on the right line and it goes in”. He still had another chance to win, typical of his year.
Knox opted to finish the 18th on Sunday morning after the light diminished significantly in the closing stages of the round.
Li might have wished for this day to never end. “We barely had a breath of wind out there and the golf course is playing probably as easy as it could be playing”. “Coming into these events, I know one good week can change everything”.
Asked if he thought he could win in world-class company, Li said honestly: “I don’t think so”. A bogey on the final hole gave him a 69, and he joined Patrick Reed (70) at 9-under 135. He was four shots behind.
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Kisner is making his first trip to China, and he joked earlier in the week that the tone of the cheer is different from what he hears on the PGA Tour.
