Li Haotong revealed he was full of confidence as he continued his recent resurgence with a brilliant 63 on day two of the 2022 Dutch Open.
The Chinese is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour but endured a difficult 2021, with 13 missed cuts and a retirement from 16 appearances.
The new season has brought new hope, however, and Li already has two top tens and just two missed cuts from seven appearances so far.
His 63 at Bernardus Golf matched his lowest round of the campaign and the 26-year-old was pleased to have his belief back.
"I felt like the swing didn’t change much and the ball flight didn’t change much, a lot of confidence and self belief," said Li, who was just one shot off the lead. "I need to be myself and stay calm and hopefully I can shoot another couple of rounds like this.”
He made a lightning start on day two as birdies from inside ten feet at the tenth and 11th were followed by an eagle from similar range at the par-five next.
An approach to four feet on the 14th put him five under after five and he played another sublime iron shot on the par-three 17th and made a two-putt birdie on the par-five next to turn in 29.
A bogey on the second quelled any hope of a 59 but Li got up and down at the short par-four third, made a two-putt gain on the par-five fourth and then put his tee-shot to 13 feet on the par-three eighth.
I need to be myself and stay calm and hopefully I can shoot another couple of rounds like this
“Obviously I had a hot start the first three holes and my putting was very hot," he said.
“Actually yesterday I felt off the tee I played better than today. With this course, if you are off a little bit, it’s so easy to have a bogey, so today I put every ball in safer places and created a lot of birdie chances from there."
