Haotong Li was firmly in contention at the halfway point of the RBC Canadian Open.
The Chinese star shot rounds of 67 and 64 at TPC Toronto to sit just one back of leader Ben James in a tie for second in pursuit of his maiden PGA Tour title.
On his bag this week is one of the game’s big characters, Joel Dahmen’s former caddie Geno Bonnalie, who is standing in for Li’s regular looper Jady De Beer.
Following his second round, Li explained why he has brought Bonnalie on board this week – and what he’s already added to the position.
He said: “Yeah, shoutout to him as well because my own caddie couldn't make it to Canada because of visa issues.
“So Geno's very, very good on some of the club selections. It was incredible, to be fair. There's definitely three or four shots that he saved. I asked him, ‘Do you like this one?’ But he talked me into changing to the other one, and it actually worked out very well, so he's a good caddie.”
Bonnalie was the long-term caddie for his best friend Dahmen, with the pair shooting to prominence as they won the hearts of golf fans in the first two series of Netflix’s Full Swing.
However, the two parted ways in 2025 after a decade-long partnership, with Dahmen explaining: “We’re still the best of friends and that will never change. But we both know that a fresh perspective is sometimes needed and it’s been a great run.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what we have achieved together as guys from a small town in the middle of nowhere.”
Following the split, Bonnalie began caddying for Isaiah Salinda, although he has since linked up with Dahmen temporarily again, most notably at The Players Championship.
It’s not just Bonnalie’s influence that appears to be helping LI in Canada. The 30-year-old, who has struggled for much of the season, also explained he has been taking advice from his psychologist.
He said: “I've been struggling for two months. I missed like one or two cuts in a row for like probably eight events already. And I felt like I played quite decent.
“To be honest, the way I hit off the tee is just the same as today, but somehow just on the last five, six holes on a Friday it's always happening. So I need to speak to my psychologist and she said, ‘Once that bad Haotong comes in, you just tell him to go away.’ Which is what I did today, like, even on the back nine, that guy's there.”
He added: “I literally not even don't think, I literally just tell that guy, f*** off, leave me alone. I'm sorry about my language, but, that's what it is, yeah.”
