Haotong Li overcomes health battle and shines at the Masters.

In the heart of Augusta National, the stage for the legendary Masters, the pressure is immense. But imagining competing there while barely able to stand seems impossible. This was exactly the battle that Haotong Li faced on the eve of the second round of the 2026 Masters — a night spent making constant trips to the bathroom, with debilitating symptoms that nearly 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 sick. It was like I was 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 nauseous. I planned to just hit a few shots to see how I felt. If I was really bad, I would probably have withdrawn.”

However, against all odds, Li fired an impressive 3 under par (69 strokes) in the second round, putting him at 3 under overall and in a tie for 7th place, just a few strokes off 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 pretty good,” he confessed.

This achievement is even more significant considering that Li is competing in only his third Masters, returning to Augusta National after a seven-year absence since 2019. His recent performance has been promising: last year, he finished tied for 4th place at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he played alongside champion Scottie Scheffler in the final round.

Li’s history at Augusta already showed that the course is not unfamiliar to him. In 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, managing to make the cut in both appearances. The 2026 season confirms this upward trend, with solid results such as 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 competition on the course, Haotong Li also revealed his more relaxed and fun side during Masters week. In an interview with 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 events in his career. “When Faxon played with me, I treated him like any other partner because I didn’t know who he was,” he said with laughter. The story went viral, and even McIlroy himself repeated it several times, causing laughter among his colleagues at Golf Channel.

But the relationship between Li and McIlroy goes beyond comedy. The two have played together on several occasions, including at 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 golf world, having even defeated McIlroy at the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic, a pivotal moment in establishing 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 once again overcome Rory McIlroy at the Masters? The answer promises to be one of the major highlights of this weekend in 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 Portugal and around the world, do not want to miss a moment of this epic battle.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.