Winning an LPGA event in her homeland of China was as important to Shanshan Feng as any accomplishment of hers in golf.
“I’m as happy as when I won a major last year,” Feng said in her post round interview on LPGA.com of winning the Reignwood LPGA Classic in Beijing at Pine Valley Golf Club. “This is the first time for us to have an LPGA event in Beijing and Reignwood is my new sponsor, so I really wanted to do well … I gave all my best.”
Feng, who hails from Guangzhou, China, had to pull off a somewhat miracle shot on No. 18 too.
Trailing by one to Women’s British Open Champion and former No. 1, American Stacey Lewis, Feng pulled 3-wood on the closing par 5 as Lewis laid up, deciding not to go for it in two, which surprised Feng.
“I thought maybe she’s giving me a chance for playing off,” said Feng, currently ranked No. 9 in the world.
Admitting she was aiming more for the center of the green and that she pushed her approach, Feng’s second clanked off the flag stick, giving her just three feet for eagle. Feng then knocked in her short putt for a final round 5-under 68 to finish at 26 under par and a one-shot victory over Lewis to be crowned the inaugural Reignwood LPGA Classic champion.
The win was her first on the LPGA Tour since she claimed her first victory and major at the 2012 Wegmans LPGA Championship.
“It’s a huge win for her,” said Gary Gilchrist, Feng’s longtime coach and founder of the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy. “She continues to do great things in golf for China.”
Feng became the first player from China to become fully exempt on the LPGA Tour in 2007 and was the first victor from China when she claimed her win last year at the Wegmans LPGA Championship.
She’s no stranger to the winner’s circle though. Along with her two wins on the LPGA Tour, Feng has seven other professional wins since 2011. In 2012 in rising to No. 3 in the world rankings, she won five times — twice on the Ladies European Tour, three times on the LPGA of Japan Tour.
She’s since followed it up with a solid 2013, making 14 of 15 cuts with 6 top 10s and a runner up finish on the LPGA Tour.
About GGGA
The Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, located near Orlando, FL in Howey in the Hills, is the world’s premier junior golf academy. In addition to the junior golf program, GGGA also features summer golf camps, winter golf camps and programs, training and golf lessons for amateurs, professionals and adults.
The Academy is committed to excellence in every facet of golf, fitness, personal development and academics, evident through exclusive relationships with Montverde Academy, an acclaimed private college preparatory school, and the American Junior Golf Association.
Gary Gilchrist, founder of the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, has been recognized as a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher 2013-2014 and as a Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher in America 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. Gilchrist teaches many of the games top juniors and pros at the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, of which include: Morgan Hoffmann, Shanshan Feng, Sandra Gal and many more.
