Feng Shanshan became the first Chinese golfer to win a major title by firing a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 on Monday morning to capture the LPGA Championship by two strokes.
The 22-year-old from Beijing, who began golfing at age 10 and came to America as a teen before joining the LPGA in 2008, took her first career LPGA triumph by finishing 72 holes at Locust Hill Country Club in New York state on 6-under 282.
"I still can't believe that I won a major. It just feels so good," Feng said.
"I'm just so excited right now. I did it."
Japan's Mika Miyazato, Norway's Suzann Pettersen, American Stacy Lewis and South Korean Eun-Hee Ji shared second on 284.
Australian Karrie Webb shot a final round of 72 to finish at 3-under in a tie for sixth place.
World number 10 Feng, whose victory was worth $US375,000, fired the low round of the week on the last day.
"My goal for the year was to win on the LPGA Tour and a top-10 in a major. I did them at one time," Feng said.
Feng birdied the par-4 second and sixth holes and added another at the par-5 eighth. As her rivals stumbled, Feng birdied the 12th and reached the 16th tee with a two-stroke edge on the field.
Miyazato sank a 10-foot birdie putt at 17th hole to pull within one stroke of Feng and sank a six-foot par putt at 18, but needed a stumble from Feng that never came.
Feng parred the 16th and sank an eight-footer birdie putt at the 17th, stretching her advantage to two strokes at the 18th tee.
Feng sank a tricky, breaking four-foot downhill putt for par at the 18th to claim the clubhouse lead, then watched as a handful of rivals needing eagles and birdies to force a playoff failed to match her.
In a strong amateur career in China, Feng won nine titles, including the China Women's Amateur title from 2004 through 2006.
Feng shared the runner-up spot in February's HSBC Women's Champions event in Singapore to match her best LPGA result to that point, runner-up efforts in last year's Mizuno Classic and the 2008 Bell Micro LPGA Classic.
"This means a lot for me," Feng said. "This is my fifth year on the tour. I had no winning. I was down. I was thinking, 'Could I win again?' Now I know I can win again."
Pettersen, who had shared the lead with Feng on the back nine, took bogeys at the 13th and 14th holes to stumble off the pace and not even a birdie at the 17th could put her back in the hunt.
AFP
Tags: golf, sport, united-states, china First posted June 11, 2012 09:31:28
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