Shanshan Feng (, ; born 5 August 1989) is a Chinese professional golfer. She played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She was the first player from China to become a member of the tour which she joined in 2008.

Early life

In 1989, Feng was born in Guangzhou, China, in the province of Guangdong. She started playing golf at the age of 10 at the urging of her father, Feng Xiong, who worked at the golf association in their hometown.Golf Channel television interview with Feng upon winning the 2012 LPGA Championship on 10 June 2012

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 traveled outside of the city to a local course to play practice rounds and work on her short game. She had some success as a junior. In 2004, Feng won the China Junior Championship and the China Junior Open.

Amateur career Feng was a winner of the China Amateur three years consecutively: from 2004 through 2006. 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.

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. In 2007 she was named Golfweeks's Top Chinese Amateur after winning four tournaments on the International Junior Golf Tour (IIGT) in 2007.

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.

Professional career In 2007, Feng turned professional. She had 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 was the first player from China to win an LPGA major championship, as well as the first player from mainland China (male or female) to have won a major championship.http://tucsoncitizen.com/usa-today-sports/2012/06/10/shanshan-feng-wins-a-major-for-china/ 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. In August 2022, Feng announced her retirement from professional golf.

Awards and honors In 2015, Feng won the Order of Merit for the Ladies European Tour. In 2016, she earned an bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

Professional wins (23) LPGA Tour wins (10) Legend Major championships (1) Other LPGA Tour (9) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMarginof victoryRunner(s)-upWinner'sshare ($)110 Jun 2012Wegmans LPGA Championship72-73-70-67=282−62 strokes Ji Eun-hee Stacy Lewis Mika Miyazato Suzann Pettersen375,00026 Oct 2013Reignwood LPGA Classic70-64-64-68=266−261 stroke Stacy Lewis270,000324 Nov 2013CME Group Titleholders66-74-67-66=273−151 stroke Gerina Piller700,000412 Oct 2014Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia67-67-69-63=266−183 strokes Pornanong Phatlum300,000530 Oct 2016Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia (2)66-70-64-67=267−173 strokes Suzann Pettersen270,00066 Nov 2016Toto Japan Classic^69-64-70=203−131 stroke Jang Ha-na225,000728 May 2017LPGA Volvik Championship68-67-66-68=269−191 stroke Minjee Lee Park Sung-hyun195,00085 Nov 2017Toto Japan Classic^ (2)66-63-68=197−192 strokes Ai Suzuki225,000911 Nov 2017Blue Bay LPGA69-67-73-70=279−91 stroke Moriya Jutanugarn315,000107 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 (0–3) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12011 Mizuno Classic Momoko UedaLost to birdie on third extra hole22012 HSBC Women's Champions Na Yeon Choi Jenny Shin Angela StanfordStanford won with par on third extra holeChoi eliminated by par on second holeFeng eliminated by par on first hole32014 Lorena Ochoa Invitational Christina KimLost to par on second extra hole

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (7) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upWinner'sshare (¥)17 Aug 2011Meiji Cup68-67-67=202−132 strokes Jang Eun-bi Miho Koga16,200,000225 Sep 2011Miyagi TV Cup Dunlop Ladies Open70-70-68=208−81 stroke Yuri Fudoh12,600,000327 May 2012Yonex Ladies70-69-69=208−8Playoff Yukari Baba10,800,00045 Aug 2012Meiji Cup72-70-67=209−7Playoff Ahn Sun-ju Shinobu Moromizato16,200,000530 Sep 2012Japan Women's Open Golf Championship68-75-74-71=288E1 stroke Inbee Park28,000,00066 Nov 2016Toto Japan Classic^69-64-70=203−131 stroke Jang Ha-na23,175,00075 Nov 2017Toto Japan Classic^ (2)66-63-68=197−192 strokes Ai Suzuki25,510,500 ^ Co-sanctioned with the LPGA Tour

Ladies European Tour wins (7) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner-upWinner'sshare (€) 12 Mar 2012World Ladies Championshipindividual event66-69-71=206−101 stroke Pornanong Phatlum56,275 28 Dec 2012Omega Dubai Ladies Masters66-65-67-69=267−215 strokes Dewi Claire Schreefel75,000 313 Dec 2014Omega Dubai Ladies Masters (2)66-67-66-70=269−195 strokes Carlota Ciganda75,000410 May 2015Buick Championship65-67-69-70=271−176 strokes Kang Hyeon-seo82,500512 Dec 2015Omega Dubai Ladies Masters (3)67-67-67-66=267 −2112 strokes Thidapa Suwannapura75,000615 May 2016Buick Championship (2)71-66-70-67=274 −14Playoff Choi Na-yeon 72,324710 Dec 2016Omega Dubai Ladies Masters (4)72-70-64=206 −102 strokes Charley Hull 75,000

Ladies European Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12016Buick Championship Choi Na-yeonWon with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (1) 2012 World Ladies Championship (team event with Liying Ye)

Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunners-up 2012 LPGA Championship −6 (72-73-70-67=282) 2 strokes Eun-Hee Ji, Stacy Lewis, Mika Miyazato, Suzann Pettersen

Results timeline Results not in chronological order. Tournament 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012ANA InspirationCUTT55T22U.S. Women's OpenCUTCUTT48CUTT42T4Women's PGA ChampionshipT58CUTT54T501Women's British OpenCUTT67T73T30CUT Tournament 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021ANA InspirationT256T8T50T21T25CUTT3U.S. Women's OpenT9T15CUTT38T5CUTCUTT4Women's PGA ChampionshipT9T6T13T17CUTT18CUTCUTThe Evian Championship^T11T1034T6T44T2NTWomen's British OpenT25T2T24T17T7T7CUT ^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013

CUT = missed the half-way cut NT = no tournament "T" = tied

Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeANA Inspiration 0 0 1 1 3 7 11 9U.S. Women's Open 0 0 0 3 4 5 14 8Women's PGA Championship 1 0 0 1 3 6 13 9The Evian Championship 0 1 1 3 5 6 7 7Women's British Open 0 1 0 1 3 6 12 9Totals 1 2 2 9 18 30 57 42 Most consecutive cuts made – 12 (2013 Kraft Nabisco – 2015 WPC) Longest streak of top-10s – 4 (2014 British – 2015 ANA)

Olympics medals (1) Singles: 1 (1 bronze medal) No.DateTournamentScoreTo parGold medalistSilver medalist120 Aug 2016Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil70-67-68-69=273−10 Inbee Park Lydia Ko

LPGA Tour career summary Year Tournaments played Cuts made Wins 2nd 3rd Top 10s Best finish Earnings($) Money list rank Scoring average Scoringrank2007100000MC 0n/a75.50n/a2008261601042472,7583672.4557200921120000T20123,6947572.6069201017150004T4 281,3033871.69262011171501042362,0973271.222020121918111811,101,1471070.848201319182201011,716,657470.376201424241211211,404,623670.3772015212001212T21,086,338970.449201621202111111,458,579569.884201722203121211,728,191469.788201822210036T3738,8232770.42182019231711061986,1901670.23162020Did not play2021870013T3520,9644070.81n/aTotals26122310111192111,981,36513 official through 2021 season

World ranking Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

Year Worldranking Source 2006 609 2007 534 2008 48 2009 83 2010 79 2011 13 2012 5 2013 4 2014 5 2015 6 2016 4 2017 1 2018 11 2019 23 2020 31 2021 23

Team appearances Amateur Espirito Santo Trophy (representing China): 2004

Professional International Crown (representing China): 2016

See also List of golfers with most LPGA major championship wins List of golfers with most LPGA Tour wins

References

External links