In the heart of Augusta National, the stage of the legendary Masters, the pressure is immense. But imagining competing there almost unable to stand seems impossible. This was exactly the battle Haotong Li faced on the eve of the second round of the 2026 Masters — a night spent with constant trips to the bathroom, with debilitating symptoms that almost prevented him from playing. Even so, the 30-year-old Chinese golfer not only participated but emerged as a serious contender for victory.
“I spent the whole night going to the bathroom and this morning, when I arrived at the course, I still felt very unwell. It was like living in the bathroom,” Li revealed with brutal honesty. “I didn’t hit many balls on the driving range. I felt drained, a bit confused and like I wanted to vomit. I planned to just play a few shots to see how I felt. If I was really bad, I would probably withdraw.”
However, defying all expectations, Li shot an impressive 3 under par (69 strokes) in the second round, placing himself at 3 under overall and in a tie for 7th place, just a few strokes from the top of the leaderboard. Four crucial birdies helped him gain confidence and, surprisingly, his body responded well. “Especially after those four birdies, I started to feel quite good,” he confessed.
This achievement is even more remarkable when considering that Li is competing in only his third Masters, returning to Augusta National after a seven-year absence since 2019. His recent journey has been promising: last year, he finished tied for 4th place at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he played the final round alongside champion Scottie Scheffler.
Li’s history at Augusta already showed that the course is not unfamiliar to him. On his debut in 2018, he opened with a 3 under, while in 2019 he recorded his best result on the course with a 4 under in the final round, making the cut in both appearances. The 2026 season confirms this upward trend, with solid results like 8th place at The American Express and 11th at the Farmers Insurance Open. In terms of accuracy, Li stands out on the PGA Tour, ranking 17th with a Greens in Regulation rate of 70.09% — a key indicator for success at Augusta.
Beyond the battle on the course, Haotong Li also revealed his more relaxed and fun side during Masters week. In an interview with the Golf Channel, he shared a hilarious anecdote about a round of golf with Rory McIlroy and McIlroy’s putting coach, Brad Faxon. The problem? Li had no idea who Faxon was, despite the American having won eight PGA Tour tournaments in his career. “When Faxon played with me, I treated him like any other partner because I didn’t know who he was,” he recounted with laughter. The story went viral and even McIlroy himself repeated it several times, provoking laughter among Golf Channel colleagues.
But the relationship between Li and McIlroy goes beyond comedy. The two have played together on several occasions, including at the Bear’s Club, where Rory advised Li to simply enjoy the game — advice that clearly had an effect. Li has already proven he is not afraid to compete with the top of the golfing world, having even beaten McIlroy at the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic, a decisive moment to establish himself as a global force in golf.
Now, with the reigning champion leading the standings, the question remains: can Haotong Li repeat the feat and surpass Rory McIlroy again at the Masters? The answer promises to be one of the major highlights of this weekend at Augusta.
Haotong Li, the warrior who faced a hellish night to put on a show at the Masters, has his eyes set on the grand prize. And we, in the UK and around the world, do not want to miss a moment of this epic battle.
