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WGC-HSBC Champions: Top five sleeper picks

By Mike Randleman

SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 08: Golf fans watch the action on the eighth hole during the final round of the WGC - HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club on November 8, 2015 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 08: Golf fans watch the action on the eighth hole during the final round of the WGC - HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club on November 8, 2015 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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WGC-HSBC Champions
ALBUFEIRA, PORTUGAL – SEPTEMBER 22: Haotong Li of China tees off on the 14th hole during day two of the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Club on September 22, 2017 in Albufeira, Portugal. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /

There are seven Chinese in the 78-player field this week. It’s awesome how each country on the Asian swing — Malaysia, South Korea and now China — are well represented in these fields. Only one of those six, though, has any chance at winning this week in my book. That’s young Haotong Li.

The 22-year-old grew up over 500 miles from Sheshan, but he’ll still be the pride of the gallery this week in a country that’s slowly sinking its teeth into golf. He made a name for himself winning on the European Tour at the Volvo China Open in Beijing last year and tied for 7th at the HSBC in 2015. Li has three top-fives this season, one being at the Open Championship where he was solo third behind the masterful dual from Jordan Spieth and Matt Kuchar.

Li made his last two cuts on the European Tour, a T25 at the Portugal Masters and T62 at the British Masters before a T48 at the no-cut CIMB Classic. There, he shrugged off a 72 and 74 to post two 69s on the weekend.

Sheshan isn’t overly penal if you’re wayward off the tee like Li (53.91 percent fairways hit), but his length (300.18) and efficiency (69.44 percent GIR) can help him attack the course’s somewhat small greens.

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