Feng emerges winner; Ariya flops but remains top for big prize
Despite a dismal 74 at the TOTO Japan Classic in Irabaki on Sunday, Ariya Jutanugarn remained the top contender for the Player of the Year award as she signed off tied 10 th with 8-under par, 5 behind winner Shanshan Feng of China.
The world No 2 who started the round a shot behind Feng at 10-under, struggled with her game, dropping to seven under after 16 holes. But she fired a birdie on the 17 th for a joint top 10 finish along with Sandra Gal of Germany and South Korean Jenny Shin. Thai No 2 Pornanong Phatlum shot a bogey free 70 for 9-under 207 to take the tied seventh position.
Ariya extended her lead for the Player of the Year title by 14 points over world No 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand. The Thai has 261 points while the Kiwi, who settled for 43rd position yesterday after a total 214, has 247 points.
Ko must win the CME Group Tour Championship in Florida from November 17-20 to beat Ariya for the award.
Meanwhile, world No. 8 Feng closed out her remarkable 2016 Asian Swing with a 1-shot victory at the TOTO Japan Classic. The win was the 6th of her career and 2nd of the 2016 season. With the win, Feng joined fellow back-to-back 2016 event winners Ariya and Lydia Ko as she also hoisted the trophy the previous week at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.
Shanshan Feng continued her bogey-free golf from the previous day with 8 straight pars to begin her final round. As Feng made the turn, she hit the gas pedal and knocked in three-straight birdies on 9,10 and 11 to put some distance between her and the field. The birdie on the 10th was an impressive 25-footer.
The exclamation point came on the par-5 17th where Feng put her 2nd shot on the green and left a 15-foot eagle putt inches away from the hole. Feng settled for a tap-in birdie and extended her lead to 3-shots. The 3-shot buffer was critical as she pulled her tee-shot on the 18th through the rough and under a tree. Feng was forced to chip back into the fairway and settled for a double-bogey, her first blemish in 49 holes.
Feng defeated Ha Na Jang by 1 shot and there was a 4-way tie for 3rd place - Kotone Hori, So Yeon Ryu, Sun-Ju Ahn and Soo-Yun Kang.
“When I was in Rio I didn’t set any goals but I knew all of the Chinese people would be watching so I made sure that I should be smiling whether I was playing well or not.” Feng explained following her 2nd win of the season.
“That really helped, because I think I had other mind sets, so I actually brought out my A-game again. I finished 3rd and got my bronze medal at the Olympics and I really got my confidence back after that so I know that I’m still Shanshan and I can still win.”
