Doha, Qatar: China’s Li Haotong outshone compatriot Ding Wenyi to win the 2025 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by one shot for his fourth DP World Tour title.
At the half-way stage at Doha Golf Club, Li and 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) winner Ding were in a share of second place.
But while Ding, who turned pro immediately in the wake of his AAC triumph in Japan last October, went into reverse, Li surged into another gear.
Still seeking his maiden professional victory, Ding carded two weekend rounds of 75 to drop into equal 35th place on two-under 286.
Meanwhile, Li followed a 67 in round three with a closing 69, holing a clutch 15-foot birdie putt at the last to edge a thrilling final-round battle against Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
Li began the day with a two-shot lead and doubled his advantage early on after starting his final round with back-to-back birdies to move four clear at the top of the leaderboard.
But despite successfully bouncing back from dropped shots at the eighth and 11th with birdies on the ninth and 12th to remain at 15-under, Li was joined and then overtaken at the summit by Neergaard-Petersen in the closing stages.
Li headed to the 18th tee knowing a birdie was required to put his name on the trophy and despite missing the green in two, he managed to get up and down from the sand for a closing birdie, winning in similar style to his previous victory at the 2022 BMW International Open, where he also holed a long putt to win.
Li finished the tournament on 16-under-par after signing for a closing 69 which contained six birdies and three bogeys.
Dane Neergaard-Petersen was alone in second on 15-under after his 65, with England’s Brandon Robinson Thompson, the half-way leader, two shots further back in solo third.
An emotional Li said: “It means a lot. I never thought I could come back in this position. Even after yesterday, I felt like this morning was really stressed.
“I’m just so pleased I made that putt on the last. I’m just very glad I closed out nicely. I’m guaranteed to celebrate this one nicely. Definitely going to enjoy that.”
Like Ding, fellow former AAC winner Keita Nakajima failed to capitalise on a bright start to the tournament. Tied for fifth after 36 holes, the Japanese ended equal 42nd after a lacklustre weekend that saw him sign for rounds of 76 and 74.
