China's golfer Li Haotong shoots sensational 63 to finish Open

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China's young player Li Haotong made golf history as he finished third at the Open Championships at Royal Birkdale on Sunday. That is the best performance ever by a Chinese player in a Grand Slam event.

The 21-year-old, who played alongside two-time Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa, birdied each of the last four holes to post a spectacular 63, which would have tied the major record if Branden Grace had not posted the lowest 18-holed score in history with a 62 on Saturday.

Li Haotong of China attends a press conference prior to the start of the 2017 Volvo China Open on April 26, 2017 in Beijing, China. /VCG Photo

"He was playing good and making putts," said Els, who shot 74 in the final round. "And he had a nice attitude. I could see he wasn't backing off. You see some guys get a little bit scared, but he kept going. So it was really special to see. The shot on 18 (hitting it to 4 feet) was just phenomenal."

Finishing in the top four means Li will automatically qualify for the 2018 Masters.

"Wow," he said, "What a gift!"

Li Haotong plays at the 2017 Volvo China Open on April 29 2017 in Beijing, China. /VCG Photo

American golf commentator Brandel Chamblee wrote in a tweet that a Li victory “would change golf.”

Li started learning golf at the age of 10. Last year, he won the Volvo China Open on the European Tour and earned an exemption to The Open by finishing among the top 30 in the European Tour's Race to Dubai.