LPGA’S BEST RETURN TO MAINLAND CHINA

The LPGA’s second stop in the Tour’s 2018 fall Asia swing is the first edition of the Buick LPGA Shanghai at Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai. 62 of the world’s top ranked female players on the LPGA Money List, joined by 15 players from the China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA) and four sponsor invitations make up the field of 81 players competing for a purse of $2.1 million USD in the no-cut event.

The LPGA is back in mainland China for the first time since the 2016 Reignwood LPGA Classic. From 2015-2016, tournament site Qizhong Garden Golf Club hosted a professional event co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and the CLPGA called the Buick Championship – top-ranked Chinese player Shanshan Feng won both years the tournament was held for two of her seven career LET wins.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BUICK LPGA SHANGHAI

This week is the inaugural playing of the Buick LPGA Shanghai, a professional women’s golf tournament co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the CLPGA
The Buick LPGA Shanghai is one of two official LPGA tournaments in China, making it the only nation besides the United States to host more than one official LPGA event this year
The Buick LPGA Shanghai is the only LPGA event in mainland China – the Blue Bay LPGA is played on Hainan Island off the coast of mainland China
The Buick LPGA Shanghai is one of three new events on the 2018 LPGA schedule alongside the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open (Los Angeles) and the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship (San Francisco)
SAIC-GM Buick has committed to sponsor the tournament for a five-year period
The field consists of 62 of the world’s top ranked players on the LPGA Money List, 15 from China Lady’s Professional Rankings and four sponsor invites
From 2015-2016 (two years) the Buick Championship was played at Qizhong Garden Golf Club as a co-sanctioned event by the LET and the CLPGA – Shanshan Feng was the winner in both years of the event

SHANSHAN’S WORLD

China’s top-ranked female golfer, Shanshan Feng, will undoubtedly be the fan favorite this week in Shanghai. Feng is undeniably the most successful Chinese golfer in history – her accolades include nine LPGA wins with one major championship, seven wins each on the LET and JLPGA and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Feng is the only golfer, male or female, to win a major championship and in 2017 Feng also became the first player from China, male or female, to become No. 1 in the world.

Despite her growing list of achievements, the 29-year-old Feng recognizes there is always room for further improvement – Feng’s last LPGA win came nearly a year ago at the 2017 TOTO Japan Classic.

“Every step I made has really made me motivate even more down the line,” said Feng, who is currently the No. 9 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. “I really essentially want to better myself, improve myself, not just for pride, not just for ranking, not just for reputation, but really to better myself down the line. That's my goal. I believe I have more space, more room for further improvement.”

TOP TALENT DESCENDS ON SHANGHAI

Seven of the top ten players in the Rolex Rankings, including four of the top five, highlight the field at the inaugural Buick LPGA Shanghai.

The top three players in the world are all set to tee it up, with World No. 1 Sung Hyun Park spending her ninth consecutive week at the top of the rankings this week. Chasing Park for the top spot are her UL International Crown teammate So Yeon Ryu (No. 3) and Ariya Jutanugarn (No. 2), who leads the LPGA in Official Money, scoring average and Race to the CME Globe points.

Jutanugarn is coming off her Tour-leading 14th top-10 finish of the season in her 24th start this year at last week’s LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. Still, Jutanugarn’s three-win season so far in 2018 is two short of her record year in 2016 when she broke out for her first five LPGA victories.

“I feel a lot better,” Jutanugarn said when asked how she felt today compared to just three years ago. “I mean, I never compare myself like two years ago or this year, but I feel a lot better. My goal this year, I finally won the U.S. Open. It's one of my dream tournaments to win.”

BUICK LPGA SHANGHAI IS LAP 28 IN RACE TO THE CME GLOBE

The Buick LPGA Shanghai marks the 28th lap of the 2018 Race to the CME Globe. Ariya Jutanugarn continues to sit atop the standings with 3,702 points, followed by Minjee Lee with 2,728 points. Brooke Henderson sits in third with 2,571 points.

Throughout the season’s official events, LPGA Members will battle for position, with the top 12 players after the Blue Bay LPGA heading into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship with the opportunity to take home a $1 million bonus, the biggest prize in women’s golf.

All tournaments have the same point values except for the five major championships, which carry 25 percent more value. For all events with a cut, points are awarded to members who make the cut, while for events without a cut, points are awarded to members who finish in the top 40 and ties.

Points will be reset for the CME Group Tour Championship following the Blue Bay LPGA, with the top 72 LPGA Members, as well as any non-Member winners and alternates, seeded into the championship field. For the top five players, it’s easy – win the CME Group Tour Championship and take home $1 million. However, the top 12 in the points race all have a mathematical chance to take the title of Race to the CME Globe Champion and win the coveted check.

In 2017, Lexi Thompson became the first American winner of the Race to the CME Globe and the accompanying $1 million prize. She joined Lydia Ko (2014, 2015) and Ariya Jutanugarn (2016) as the only players to hoist the crystal trophy.

LPGA's Best Return to China, Feng a Fan Favorite and More In Tuesday's Pre-Tournament Notes

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