Drama at the US Masters 2026: Haotong Li's nightmare 10 at Amen Corner

From the chance to win the Green Jacket straight into Rae's Creek: Chinese professional Haotong Li experienced a historic collapse on the final Sunday at Augusta. A "10" on the legendary 13th hole not only cost him a top ranking at the 2026 US Masters, but also a small fortune.

There are places in golf that crown careers or shatter dreams in seconds. The "Amen Corner" at Augusta National is just such a place. For Haotong Li, the final Sunday of the 90th US Masters was to be the greatest day of his career. He started the final round tied tenth on 7 under Par, within striking distance of the world's best. But what happened on holes 12 and 13 was more like a slapstick movie than a major final.

Here you can find the final result of the US Masters 2026.

Haotong Li shoots himself out of the 2026 US Masters on two holes

The disaster was already looming on the famous 12th hole (Par 3). A triple Bogey already left Li reeling, but the final knockout followed on the 13th hole, "Azalea". After a solid drive onto the Fairway, Li completely lost control of the game. His second shot disappeared deep into the dense undergrowth to the left of the green. While his playing partner Scottie Scheffler had to stand idly by, Li desperately tried to hack his way out of the bushes.

What followed was a sequence that The Sporting News aptly described as moments that "humanize" professionals: "At times, Li no longer looked like a pro, but like someone you'd throw off your local community course." The absolute low point: after finally maneuvering the ball towards the green, Li went for a desperation Putt. The ball shot across the short mown area with so much speed that it rolled directly into a foothill of Rae's Creek on the opposite side. Li only finished the hole with his tenth shot - a quintuple bogey or "double par".

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"I was living on the toilet"

Anyone looking for the reasons for this loss of concentration did not find them in the technique, but in Li's physical condition. As the 30-year-old revealed on Saturday, he had been battling with food poisoning for days. He gave reporters an unsparingly frank insight into his condition: "I was basically living on the toilet last night," Li said, according to Golfweek. "I had no energy, I was dizzy and I wanted to throw up. I actually just wanted to play a few holes and see how it went. If I had felt really bad, I would probably have given up," he explained after the round on Saturday.

An expensive walk through the azaleas

The consequences of the collapse can be seen in black and white on the scorecard and in the bank account. Due to the disaster on the 13th, Li slipped from 10th to 38th place. In the final tally, this meant a financial loss of around half a million US dollars. Instead of the expected 607,500 dollars for a top 10 place, he was left with only around 105,750 dollars.

However, the missed points for the FedEx Cup ranking, which Li urgently needed to secure his eligibility to play on the PGA Tour, were much more serious.

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Gallows humor and greatness

Despite the sporting ruin, Haotong Li showed remarkable mental strength. When the ball finally disappeared into the hole on the 13th hole, he threw both arms up in triumphant irony - a gesture that won him the sympathy of the spectators. His reaction on the next tee was even more impressive: immediately after the "10", he recorded a Birdie on 14. It was a small victory over his own body and frustration. In the end, he signed for a round of 80 and finished the tournament with a total of +1.