Li aims to consolidate Order of Merit lead

Li Chao has built an almost unassailable lead in the China Tour's inaugural Order of Merit going into the season ending Hainan Leg. The 25 year old winner of the opening Beijing Leg has now claimed over a quarter of a million RMB (more than US$31,000) in the first three events of the Mainland's new professional circuit.

With one more leg to come, at Hainan's Kangle Garden Spa & Golf Club starting on Thursday (3rd November) only four other golfers can overtake Li after he claimed another RMB90,000 at last month's Zhuhai Leg, played at the Golden Gulf Golf Club.

With winner Liang Wenchong already dedicated to the Japan Golf Tour over the coming weeks, that number drops to just three players - Kunming Leg winner Qiu Zhifeng, Beijing Leg runner-up Wu Weihuang and Kunming Leg runner-up Liao Guiming.

Even then those players can only take the solid silver Order of Merit trophy by winning the season finale and hoping Li only picks up pocket money.

"I hope to win the first China Tour Order of Merit, which will provide a good conclusion to my first season on the China Tour. Moreover, I do hope I will have a good performance next year as well," said the 25-year-old.

Li, who quoted the famous words of Sun Yat-sen - "The revolution has not yet succeeded. Comrades you must carry on," - to describe the status of his challenge to the two big names of Chinese golf, leads the prize money list in what has been a breakout season for the Beijing native. He has RMB255,300. Qiu, who, plagued by back trouble, missed the cut in Zhuhai, is second with RMB163,000. Third is Liang (RMB150,000), fourth is Wu (RMB117,850) and Liao (RMB116,600) is fifth.

"I am not that familiar with the Kangle Garden course, I have played there only once. As I am not familiar with the course, I haven't settled on a specific set of tactics or strategies. What I can do is to try my best to play well on each hole and round," Li explained, looking forward to an event that has attracted the biggest field of the inaugural season, with 101 golfers entered.

"After the Zhuhai leg of China Tour, I had to relax a little and rest for a period of time to adjust my health so I could prepare for the next leg of China Tour and HSBC Champions Tournament. General speaking, I am in good condition now. It all depends on how I actually play on the course."

Although he didn't admit as much, coming to Hainan must be relieving some pressure off the player who has rapidly become recognized as China's third star player behind Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong. Li's victory at the Beijing Leg qualified him for next week's US$5 million HSBC Champions Tournament, which is being played at his new home course, Shanghai's Sheshan Golf Club, with whom he signed earlier this year.

"The world's top 50 players will take part in the HSBC Champions Tournament, and there will be very strong competition. I hope to show my skill and capability to compete in the tournament," he said.

"Playing in the Hainan leg of China Tour will be a good opportunity for me to practice and prepare for the HSBC tournament."

October 17, 2005