China’s Haotong Li is keen to keep his focus after an opening 64 gave him the first-round lead at the HSBC Champions. The 24-year-old recovered from an early bogey to pick up an eagle and seven birdies and finish the day alone at the top of the leaderboard on eight-under at Sheshan Golf Club. France’s Victor Perez managed five birdies, two eagles and two bogeys in his 65 and is one back, while defending champion Xander Schauffele is part of a four-way tie for third. With Rory McIlroy also lurking, a big name winner would please the organisers. However, a home champion would bring just as much joy. Although aware of the impact a victory could have on Chinese golf, Li is doing his best to stay in the moment. “Today is a pretty good start and good beginning,” he said. “Obviously it would be a great joy for Chinese golfers and Chinese golf fans to have a Chinese player winning a WGC-HSBC Champions here in China but for the next three days, anything could happen. “I just want to focus and concentrate on the upcoming three days because anything can happen. I just wanted to do a good job to keep this momentum going for the next three days.”
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