Lars van Meijel produced a composed and clinical display to seize control of the Hainan Open, firing a superb six-under-par 66 in the third round at Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club.
Starting the day one shot off the pace, the Dutchman carded seven birdies and a single bogey to move to 15-under-par, three strokes clear of Sweden’s Per Längfors heading into the final round.
After a steady front nine of two under, Van Meijel found his rhythm on the back nine with consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, followed by a near-eagle on the par-four 15th. A closing birdie on the 18th sealed a commanding position for the 31-year-old, who expressed satisfaction with his performance.
“I played really well,” said Van Meijel. “I struck the ball nicely and holed the putts when I needed to. Everything felt solid maybe my putting stood out, but my irons were sharp too. The game plan is working, so I’ll just keep executing and see where it takes me.”
Familiarity with the Sanya Luhuitou layout appears to be paying dividends. Having played the course in 2019 and again last year, Van Meijel says experience has helped him navigate its challenges with growing confidence.
“I’ve played here three times now, so I know it quite well,” he added. “There’s plenty of space off the tee, and I’ve used my distance to make a few holes easier. The course suits my eye and is in great condition, even as it firms up.”
Currently ranked 43rd on the Road to Mallorca standings, Van Meijel is finding comfort in contention after a recent run of top-10 finishes.
“The last few weeks, I’ve been in and around the lead,” he said. “I’m starting to feel more comfortable in this position, but the key is to stay patient and take it one shot at a time.”
Germany’s Jan Schneider, Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli and Renato Paratore, along with Austria’s Maximilian Steinlechner, share third at 11-under, one stroke ahead of Spaniards Sebastian Garcia and Rocco Repetto Taylor.
The final round tees off at 7:40 a.m. local time, with Van Meijel set to go out in the final group alongside Paratore and Längfors at 9:35 a.m.
About the HotelPlanner Tour
The HotelPlanner Tour, formerly the Challenge Tour, had its first official season in 1989, and has developed into a proven training ground, where the champions-in-waiting compete across the globe for a place on the DP World Tour.
Many players who have progressed from the HotelPlanner Tour have gone on to become Major Champions – including Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Brooks Koepka – and Ryder Cup stars, such as Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.
Using its vast international schedule and relationships with golf federations and PGAs, the HotelPlanner Tour is widely accessible to professionals from across the globe, giving players from developing golfing nations the opportunity to test their skill amongst some of the most talented up and coming stars in world golf.
HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology company, has been the title partner of the HotelPlanner Tour since the start of the 2025 season.
About the European Tour group
The European Tour group administers the DP World Tour, the HotelPlanner Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, as the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, stages golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup, in partnership with the PGA of America.
The European Tour group has Strategic Partnerships with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association (CGA), the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India. These partnerships provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group which was established in 1972, as well as the HotelPlanner Tour.
