FENG PLAYING AT HOME
China’s own Shanshan Feng will play competitively in her home country this week for the first time since earning the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in August.
Feng, who won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA Classic in 2013 and still holds the tournament scoring record at 26-under par, is certainly excited to be back for everything this tournament has to offer.
“Reignwood is one of my sponsors, too, so especially I won here three years ago,” said Feng. “So coming back, you know, I am full of good memories about here. I love the food. Really happy this I can be back. I really love Beijing Duck and I love the food. Love the golf course; love the resort; love the area; love the spectators.”
SHANSHAN FENG - RECORD AT THE REIGNWOOD LPGA CLASSIC
Year Scores Finish
2014 75-71-74-75=295 (+3) T49
2013 70-64-64-68=266 (-26) WIN
The highest ranked Chinese player in the world at No. 14 in the Rolex Rankings, Feng brushes off the notion of being called a pioneer of Chinese golf. Instead, she considers herself a ‘guinea pig’ and hopes other people from China follow her path to the game.
“I’m actually the guinea pig for Chinese golf,” Feng explained. “Before me nobody has tried it, so I was the first one to really get on the tour and experience all kinds of different things.”
“You know, I’m the guinea pig that tried to find out a path maybe from China to international so the people behind me can actually follow me and they don’t need to get into the troubles that they don’t need to.”
In 2012, Feng became the first-ever Chinese winner and major champion on Tour when she captured the first of her four career victories at the Wegmans LPGA Championship. She has 20 top-10 finishes (two runner-ups) since her last win in 2014, with five this year including a season-best 4th place finish at The Evian Championship.
SHANSHAN FENG - CAREER LPGA TOUR VICTORIES (4)
2014 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
2013 Reignwood LPGA Classic, CME Group Titleholders
2012 Wegmans LPGA Championship
*BOLD denotes major
BACK TO DEFEND
Mirim Lee’s two career LPGA Tour victories both came during her rookie season, including her most recent win at the 2014 Reignwood LPGA Classic. That season, the South Korean finished second in the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year race behind the eventual winner and current World No. 1 Lydia Ko.
Lee enters this week’s tournament as the defending champion as the event was not held in 2015.
“It was my second LPGA Tour and I really enjoyed the game, so I think that was one of the main reasons why I was able to have such good results in the 2014 Reignwood Classic,” Lee said at a press conference Tuesday.
Lee has been close to breaking back into the winner’s circle with four runner-up finishes since winning at Reignwood. Her 2016 campaign includes four top-4 finishes including back-to-back runner-ups at the Marathon Classic and RICOH Women’s British Open. At Marathon, Lee came up short in a three-way playoff featuring the world’s top two players in Ariya Jutanugarn and Ko, who won on the fourth playoff hole.
Lee has had an up-and-down year (13-of-19 cuts made) but comes into this week feeling confident.
“Since I was able to take a really good rest last week I think I’m in a good position to gain really good results this tournament.”
AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE
On Tuesday, LPGA players Shanshan Feng, Ariya Jutanugarn, Na Yeon Choi, Alena Sharp and Caroline Masson took part in a photocall session for the Reignwood LPGA Classic.
Held at the Reignwood South Garden Residences in a traditional Chinese garden, the players helped put the finishing touches on signature Chinese dishes including Lucky Steamed Dumplings and Old Beijing Noodles.
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