Saudi International: Power ranking the top 10 at Royal Greens

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 29: A general view of the first tee during a practice round prior to the Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 29, 2019 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 27: Haotong Li of China takes his tee shot on hole eleven during Day Four of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 27, 2019 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /

Haotong Li should have some support from the galleries after he was dropped from a T3 to a T12 at last week’s Dubai Desert Classic where it was questionably ruled that his caddie helped his alignment on the 72nd hole. Even the European Tour CEO Keith Pelley criticized the ruling, so you know it wasn’t a great call.

Nonetheless, that doesn’t take away from how well the 23-year-old from China is playing. He fired 67-67-67-73 and contended through 54 holes in Dubai. Li was pretty solid off the tee (26th in driving accuracy, 11th in distance) but didn’t quite hit enough greens or putts.

He had four top-10s in his last six starts of 2018 and is already a two-time European Tour winner. Li’s beat Rory McIlroy down the stretch in Dubai in 2018 and has played enough majors and WGCs to where he shouldn’t be too daunted by the quality of field here at the Saudi International.

Li finished fifth last year on the European Tour in birdies thanks largely to his prowess off the tee that ranked sixth in strokes gained. While he’s looking to remedy his putter from recent weeks, he can knock them in when it counts. Li was 32nd last season in SG putting.

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