China’s leading golfer, 24-year-old Li Haotong, has signed a worldwide management contract with IMG.
Haotong has enjoyed a record-breaking career since turning professional in 2011 at the age of 16. He won the inaugural PGA Tour Series-China Order of Merit in 2014 after a dominant three-win season and, having captured his second European Tour title at the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, he became the first Chinese player to break into the top 50 on the Official World Golf Rankings. Haotong represented China in the 2016 Olympics and in December he became the first player from mainland China to feature in the 2019 Presidents Cup International team.
Haotong said: “I am very happy to announce that I am joining the team at IMG. Both in China and as I’ve played around the world, I have been impressed by everything IMG does in golf. From the CGA-HSBC junior programme I played in as a kid, to the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, to the tournaments I’m playing in the Middle East this month, their strength in China, as well as their truly global reach is what makes them stand out in the industry. I am also excited to see how I can benefit from their incredible network across sports, entertainment and content and utilise their unique expertise to take advantage of new opportunities reaching out beyond golf too.”
Jay Danzi, IMG’s Head of Golf Clients, added: “Li Haotong, along with the likes of Feng Shanshan and Liang Wenchong, is helping to inspire a whole new generation of young Chinese golfers with his achievements. We are proud to announce him as an IMG client and look forward to working with him to help him continue to break records on course, while growing his brand off course, using our extensive reach across entertainment and sports to deliver for him both in China and internationally.”