Feng in the driver’s seat, Aditi Ashok lying T36

Shanshan Feng fired a brilliant 65 in the first round of the Lotte Championship. Aditi Ashok shot 73 in the first round.

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first round of the Lotte Championship

Apr 12, 2018: Shanshan Feng feels the pressure of being of No. 1 in the world, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. She’s learning to deal with the constant chatter about her position at the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Aditi Ashok shot one over 73 in the first round of the Lotte Championship. She conceded five bogeys on the day, but also made four birdies to ensure that she closed without too much damage to her card.

On Wednesday, she took another step towards keeping the green caddy bib for a 23rd straight week with a 5-under, 67.

She leads by one shot over a trio of players including Canadian Brooke Henderson, who turned in a clean scorecard with four birdies and no bogeys. Haeji Kang of Korea and Martina Edberg of Sweden are also at 4-under, 68. World No. 3 Inbee Park is part of a group of six just two shots back at 3-under, 69.

“I saved pars early in my round and then I got my confidence back,” said Feng, who made six birdies and no bogeys over her final 17 holes after a bogey on her first. “My putting was really good and I’m happy about that because it hasn’t been good.”

Feng made a switch with the putter this week. She’s now using the Callaway White Hot RX and attempted just 26 putts on the round.

Feng has two top 10 finishes in five starts this year and has finished inside the top 30 in each of her starts in 2018.

The 9-time LPGA winner started playing golf when she was ten years old in China and had no idea that one day she could be No. 1 in the world. She reflected on hitting balls off mats as a kid and having very little time to practice her short game.

She improved slowly yet surely once arriving on the LPGA, but something clicked last year.

“I was like, ‘you know what? I’m 27 (years old) already’, if I want to get to No. 1 (in the world), this is the time. So that was my goal and I did it.”

Feng’s stay at No. 1 in the world coupled with her bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games has really helped to grow golf in China.

Feng told media in Hawaii that in 2015 there were only 3,000 registered in the China Golf Association. Last year, there were 30,000.

 

LPGA Tour Release

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