World No. 8 Shanshan Feng has completed a massive fortnight by winning her second event in as many weeks, closing out the LPGA’s Asian Swing with a one-shot victory at the TOTO Japan Classic.
It was Feng’s sixth career victory and her second for 2016 and puts her alongside other back-to-back winners this year, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lydia Ko, having hoisted the trophy the previous week at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.
“Before this week, I’ve won 16 times as a professional but I’d never got back-to-back wins,” Feng said. “Yesterday after my round I got an interview and people were asking me ‘what do you think about maybe winning back-to-back?” and I said it’d be interesting if I do it so I feel really happy right now.”
Feng continued her bogey-free golf from the previous round with eight straight pars to begin her final round. As Feng made the turn, she hit the gas pedal and knocked in three-straight birdies at the 9th, 10th and 11th holes to put some distance between her and the field.
The exclamation point came on the par-5 17th where Feng put her 2nd shot on the green and left a 15-foot eagle putt inches away from the hole. Feng settled for a tap-in birdie and extended her lead to three strokes. The three-shot buffer was critical as she pulled her tee-shot on the 18th through the rough and under a tree. Feng was forced to chip back into the fairway and settled for a double bogey, her first blemish in 49 holes.
“Normally I have a habit where I don’t look at leaderboards when I play but I accidentally saw the board when I was on the 17th green so I actually knew I was leading by three going into the last hole,” Feng said. “Then I hit the drive left and hit it on the green with my third shot and then I thought easy two putt but the first putt I just hit it way too hard and the second putt I missed and left myself a three footer and said ‘it’s time to make this putt’. I don’t want to lose by making a triple bogey on the last but I made it and it was pressure relieved.”
South Korea’s Ha Na Jang had a final round 68 to be outright second.
West Australian Minjee Lee carded a two under 70 to finish at eight under and a share of 10th place. Karrie Webb was T38 at three under and Su Oh closed with her best round of the tournament, a two under 70, to move into T49.
- Story courtesy of LPGA
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