Shanshan Feng


Shanshan Feng is a Chinese professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is the first player from China to become a member of the LPGA Tour, which she joined in 2008. Feng has 10 victories on the tour, including the 2012 LPGA Championship, a major title, in which she shot a bogey-free 67 in the final round to win by two strokes. She is the first player from China to win an LPGA major championship, as well as the first player from mainland China to win a major championship. Her best finish in 16 previous majors was a tie for 22nd at the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship. With the victory, she moved from tenth to fifth in the Women's World Golf Rankings. On 20 August 2016, Feng won the Olympic bronze medal in women's golf at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. From November 2017 to April 2018, she was first in the Women's World Golf Rankings.

Early life, family and early golf development

Feng was born in Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong, and started playing golf at age 10 at the urging of her father, Feng Xiong, who worked at the golf association in their hometown.
Due to limited resources and a lack of reputable golf coaches, Feng's father, who was the captain of a junior golf team, worked with her every day. During the week, Feng would attend school from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and then her father would bring her to the driving range where she would practice for two hours hitting golf balls off a mat. On the weekends, she travelled outside of the city to a local course to play practice rounds and work on her short game.
When Feng was in high school an agent discovered her, at a tournament in China, and this led to her meeting coach Gary Gilchrist. When Feng was 17 years old, Gilchrist offered her a full scholarship to attend his junior golf academy in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Feng accepted the offer and moved to the U.S hoping to become a professional golfer. Despite the scholarship to Gilchrist's academy, living expenses, tuition at a nearby high school, and traveling costs became heavy financial burdens on her parents, Feng Xiong and Zheng Yuyan, who both work at governmental institutes and earn average salaries. Feng's parents had spent almost all of their savings by the end of 2007, and they considered mortgaging their house to support their daughter. However, the family support paid off in December 2007 when Feng, a teenager amateur, earned a spot on the LPGA Tour's 2008 season after tying for ninth place at the Tour's qualifying tournament.

Amateur career

Feng won the China Junior Championship and the China Junior Open in 2004. She was a three-time winner of the China Amateur Tournament. She was the Champion of the 2006 China Women's Amateur Open. A member of the 2006 All-China Championship Team, she earned a medalist honors at the event. In 2007 she was named Golfweeks's Top Chinese Amateur after winning four tournaments on the International Junior Golf Tour in 2007.
While still an amateur, Feng tied for ninth at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in December 2007 to earn a spot on the LPGA Tour in 2008.

Professional wins (23)

LPGA Tour wins (10)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin
of victory		Runner-upWinner's
share
110 Jun 2012Wegmans LPGA Championship72-73-70-67=282−62 strokes Eun-Hee Ji
Stacy Lewis
Mika Miyazato
Suzann Pettersen		375,000
26 Oct 2013Reignwood LPGA Classic70-64-64-68=266−261 stroke Stacy Lewis270,000
324 Nov 2013CME Group Titleholders66-74-67-66=273−151 stroke Gerina Piller700,000
412 Oct 2014Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia67-67-69-63=266−183 strokes Pornanong Phatlum300,000
530 Oct 2016Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 66-70-64-67=267−173 strokes Suzann Pettersen270,000
66 Nov 2016Toto Japan Classic^69-64-70=203−131 stroke Jang Ha-na225,000
728 May 2017LPGA Volvik Championship68-67-66-68=269−191 stroke Minjee Lee
Park Sung-hyun		195,000
85 Nov 2017Toto Japan Classic^ 66-63-68=197−192 strokes Ai Suzuki225,000
911 Nov 2017Blue Bay LPGA69-67-73-70=279−91 stroke Moriya Jutanugarn315,000
107 Jul 2019Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic64-67-65-63=259−291 stroke Ariya Jutanugarn300,000

^ Co-sanctioned with the LPGA of Japan Tour
LPGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12011Mizuno Classic Momoko UedaLost to birdie on third extra hole
22012HSBC Women's Champions Na Yeon Choi
Jenny Shin
Angela Stanford		Stanford won with par on third extra hole
Choi eliminated with par on second hole
Feng eliminated with par on first hole
32014Lorena Ochoa Invitational Christina KimLost to par on second extra hole

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (7)

^ Co-sanctioned with the LPGA Tour

Ladies European Tour wins (7)

Ladies European Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12016Buick Championship Choi Na-yeonWon with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (1)

Wins (1)

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order before 2019.
^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Summary

Singles: 1 (1 bronze medal)

LPGA Tour career summary

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.
YearWorld
ranking		Source
2006609
2007534
200848
200983
201079
201113
20125
20134
20145
20156
20164
20171
201811
201923

Team appearances

Professional