BMW International 2022 R4

June 23-26
Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
€2,000,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Haotong Li has won his first DP World Tour title in four years after defeating Belgium's Thomas Pieters in a playoff for the BMW International Open.

BMW International 2022 R4

"I never thought that one day I would have a trophy in my hands again. It’s a dream come true."

The Chinese player started well with three birdies in his first five holes to increase his lead to five shots but back-to-back bogeys at the 5th and 6th set him back.

BMW International 2022 R4

He birdied the 11th before making two more bogeys then two birdies. His birdie putt on the final hole lipped out and he closed with a 70. Pieters birdied the 18th for a 67 to reach 22-under and set up a playoff.

Li birdied the first extra hole for a wire-to-wire victory while Pieters missed his ten-foot putt.

BMW International 2022 R4

"Somehow I thought that I would make that putt (in the play-off)," said Li. "I don’t know how I made that stroke, how the ball went in the hole, because at the end of the day the greens were very bumpy. You just never know.

"No-one knows how much I have gone through over the last couple of years. Ten months ago I nearly decided to not play golf. I thought I couldn’t play golf again.

"Ten months later, right now, holding a trophy. If someone told me ten months ago I would win again, I wouldn’t believe that.

"I didn’t realise I could be that emotional. Maybe just because I never thought golf could be that tough.

"Through a lot of tough times, I realised how good that feeling is to play good again."

New Zealander Ryan Fox closed with a 67 to finish third at 20-under followed by Finn Sami Välimäki in fourth at 18-under.

BMW International 2022 R4