Haotong Li makes 40-foot putt to win 2022 BMW International Open in playoff, gets highly emotional during celebration

Li drained a 40-foot putt to snap a four-year winless streak. An emotional outburst soon followed.

It took four and a half years, but Haotong Li has finally won again following a week of wild emotional swings.

Li, who had a stretch of 13 missed cuts in 16 outings, admitted after the tournament that 10 months ago he considered quitting the game.

He started the final round Sunday with a five-shot lead at the 2022 BMW International Open in Munich, Germany, but it slowly dwindled away over the final 18 holes. Nonetheless, he had a chance to win the tournament but he lipped out a birdie putt on the 18th hole so he went to a playoff with Thomas Pieters tied at 22 under.

On the first playoff hole, Li blasted his third shot 40 feet past the hole. He later said he thought he gave away the tournament with that blunder.

But Li kept his head and went on to drain a 40-foot bomb, setting off a wild celebration.

The win wasn’t official until Pieters failed to make his matching birdie putt from 10 feet out, which would have extended the playoff.

That’s when Li was overcome with emotion, dropping to his knees, sobbing loudly.

In the aftermath, Li was criticized by some for making little to no effort to congratulate Pieters.

Li also dropped a pair of F-bombs during his post-round interview. (Warning: explicit language)

Li earned $416,000 for the win.

“I don’t have the words to describe right now,” he said. “Ten months ago I just literally decided to quit golf, and somehow where I am now, it’s just hard to describe. I had no idea I could win this play-off. Luckily things happened for me again.”

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Viktor Hovland holds off Martin Kaymer, makes European Tour history with 2021 BMW International Open win

Hovland, 23, now has three wins early in his professional career.

Viktor Hovland continues to put Norway golf on the map.

The 23-year-old made history on Sunday as the first Norwegian player to win on the European Tour with his two-shot victory at the 2021 BMW International Open at 19 under. The Oklahoma State product held off two-time major champion Martin Kaymer to earn his first win on the European Tour in just his second start.

Hovland now has three wins since turning professional in 2019 after claiming the Puerto Rico Open and Mayakoba Golf Classic last year.

“I grew up watching mostly the European Tour,” Hovland said after his round. “There’s a lot of guys who played this week who I grew up watching. It’s cool to be a champion of this tour, in Germany, in a place that… it’s not in Norway, but it’s close and has some of the same feelings of being home. It’s a huge honor and finally Norway has a win on the European Tour.”

Hovland shot a 2-under 70 in the final round to fend off Kaymer, who fired a 8-under 64 to finish second at 17 under. Jorge Campillo finished third at 15 under, followed by Victor Dubuisson at 14 under and seven players T-5 at 13 under: Darren Fichardt, Justin Harding, Sam Horsfield, Shaun Norris, Vincent Norrman, Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger.

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Viktor Hovland is seeing straight — and crushing the field in his second Euro Tour start

If he holds on to win on Sunday, Hovland would be the first Norwegian winner on the Euro Tour. He already has two wins on the PGA Tour.

Using a string of five birdies on the back nine, Viktor Hovland threatened to run away with the BMW International Open on Saturday, marking an impressive performance in just his second start on the European Tour.

Hovland’s 8-under 64 moved him to 17 under for the tournament and allowed him to open a three-stroke lead over the field.

If he holds on to win on Sunday, Hovland would be the first Norwegian winner on the Euro Tour. He already has two wins on the PGA Tour.

“I just try to stay within myself. I look at leaderboards to see where I’m at, but instead of trying to force things, I just tell myself at the start of the day just to take control of my own game,” Hovland said. “If I don’t waste shots here and there, just play smart, trust that I’m doing the right things, I think I should have a really good shot tomorrow.”

Jorge Campillo is three shots off Hovland’s pace while Darren Fichardt is in third. Meanwhile, Niall Kearney, who held the lead after 36 holes, is tied with Bernd Wiesberger at 11 under.

There’s plenty at stake for Hovland, who withdrew from the 121st U.S. Open at Torrey Pines due to an eye injury. Hovland, who sits at No. 14 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but is No. 3 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, got sand in his eye during a warm-up session and was forced to withdraw.

But a victory at Munich’s Golfclub Munchen Eichenried would almost certainly lock Hovland into a spot in the upcoming Ryder Cup.

“It was great, always nice to get off to a good start, birdieing the first hole,” Hovland said. “I hit the drive in the water on four, but I made a really nice up and down there.”

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