Shanshan Feng wins record fourth Omega Dubai Ladies Masters title

By VIREN VARMA

DUBAI— Her putter on fire, Shanshan Feng produced a compelling fightback, carding a magical eight-under 64 to win the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters for a record fourth time in five appearances at Emirates Golf Club today.

Starting the final round a good five shots off the pace, China’s most decorated golfer reeled off five birdies on the front nine and four coming home to reach 10-under for the tournament, claiming the season-ending Ladies European Tour event by a good two shots ahead of England’s Charley Hull, who climbed up the leaderboard with a brilliant closing 65.

“I'm really happy that I actually brought out my A Game today,” said a jubilant Feng after receiving the iconic trophy from His Highness Shaikh Hasher bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, 

“I knew that it was going to be windy and I knew that playing in the wind is one of my strongest parts. So even though I was five behind, I always thought that maybe I would still have a chance to win. I tried my best and an 8-under was a pretty good score,” said Feng, who first won the title in 2012, and then again three times consecutively from 2014.

The genial Chinese golfer, who is also an Omega brand ambassador, flew out the gate in style, rolling in six birdies in her first 10 holes and that hot streak took the world number four to with one stroke of the lead, held by held by the overnight leader Felicity Johnson

Another three straight birdies from the ninth gave her a one-stroke advantage and it was effectively all over when she made her eighth birdie on the 14thhole to hit 10-under-par in total, before ending with four straight pars.

For Feng, this was her seventh Ladies European Tour victory and her fourth title of the season, following the Buick Championship, Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and TOTO Japan Classic, as well as Olympic Bronze at Rio 2016.

Tied for 23rd on one-under overnight, England’s Charley Hull made her presence felt with a flawless final round.

“It could have been a really good score, but missed a lot of putts. I also holed good putt and that kind of evened itself out. It was really windy out there. So I'm quite happy with my score in the conditions.”

India’s Aditi Ashok ended in a tie for third with England’s Florentyna Parker on six-under-par and sealed Rookie of the Year honours.

“It was pretty solid. I actually didn't start very well. I was one over after four holes. All four were actually birdie-able with the tailwind. So I didn't really make use of that.

“Things were better on the back nine which I covered in two-under. I'm happy with two-under scores three days in a row. I feel it was consistent but it could have been better. But there's always something you can do better every week. So it's fine.”

First round leader Parker signed off with a 71 and said: “I struggled on the front nine, but I finished really well, so I was 3-under for the last five holes and I'll take it. I've had a great year and eight top-10s. I'm really thrilled.”

England’s Georgia Hall tied for fifth on five-under alongside Ashleigh Simon, who is getting married next week, a year after being proposed to by her boyfriend and caddie David Buhai on the 18th green.

Meanwhile second round leader Felicity Johnson ended with a 75 for a share of seventh place. “I'm not a massive fan of playing in the wind, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it might have been.

“It was tricky to pick the direction out there. But yeah, it wasn't as bad as I thought it might have been. It's obviously a top-10, any day, you've got to be happy with.”

FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY
Par 216 (3x72) Prizemoney in Euros
1 FENG Shanshan CHN -10 72 70 64 206 75,000.00
2 HULL Charley ENG -8 72 71 65 208 45,000.00
T3 ASHOK Aditi IND -6 70 70 70 210 26,250.00
T3 PARKER Florentyna ENG -6 67 72 71 210 26,250.00
T5 HALL Georgia ENG -5 71 70 70 211 16,750.00
T5 SIMON Ashleigh RSA -5 69 72 70 211 16,750.00
T7 SRISAWANG Nontaya THA -4 72 70 70 212 12,833.33
T7 PEDERSEN Emily Kristine DEN -4 69 71 72 212 12833.33
T7 JOHNSON Felicity ENG -4 73 64 75 212 12,833.33
T10 WALKER Kylie SCO -3 70 72 71 213 10,750.00
T10 BOINEAU Isabelle FRA -3 71 71 71 213 10,750.00
T10 WOODS Cheyenne USA -3 68 73 72 213 10,750.00
T10 YIN Angel USA -3 71 70 72 213 10,750.00
T14 MADSEN Nanna Koerstz DEN -2 73 71 70 214 8,650.00
T14 CABRERA-BELLO Emma ESP -2 71 72 71 214 8650.00
T14 SPILKOVA Klara CZE -2 71 71 72 214 8650.00
T14 WESSBERG Linda SWE -2 70 71 73 214 8650.00
T14 SCHAEFFER Jade FRA -2 69 72 73 214 8650.00
T19 LENNARTH Camilla SWE -1 73 71 71 215 7375.00
T19 PHATLUM Pornanong THA -1 72 72 71 215 7375.00
T19 KEATING Stacey AUS -1 72 71 72 215 7375.00
T19 CARLSSON Lynn SWE -1 71 70 74 215 7375.00
T23 BURKE Hannah ENG 0 74 73 69 216 6375.00
T23 HALL Lydia WAL 0 71 75 70 216 6375.00
T23 BOOTH Carly SCO 0 72 71 73 216 6375.00
T23 JANSONE Laura LAT 0 69 72 75 216 6375.00
T27 BOQVIST Lina SWE +1 73 70 74 217 5325.00
T27 MACDONALD Kelsey SCO +1 72 71 74 217 5325.00
T29 TAMMINEN Noora FIN +2 75 73 70 218 4725.00
T29 DRYBURGH Gemma SCO +2 74 72 72 218 4725.00
T29 GIQUEL-BETTAN Sophie FRA +2 68 76 74 218 4725.00
T29 ITURRIOS Nuria ESP +2 69 75 74 218 4725.00
T29 VAN DAM Anne NED +2 69 74 75 218 4725.00
T29 LEWIS Amelia USA +2 70 72 76 218 4725.00
T35 HADDIOUI Maha MAR +3 77 70 72 219 3662.50
T35 PETTERSEN Suzann NOR +3 74 72 73 219 3662.50
T35 RAMSAY Isabella SWE +3 71 75 73 219 3662.50
T35 HILLIER Whitney AUS +3 70 75 74 219 3662.50
T35 CLYBURN Holly ENG +3 74 71 74 219 3662.50
T35 MOZO Belen ESP +3 72 71 76 219 3662.50
T35 RAS-ANDERICA Leticia GER +3 70 72 77 219 3662.50
T35 EWART SHADOFF Jodi ENG +3 71 71 77 219 3662.50
T43 JORGENSEN Malene DEN +4 76 72 72 220 2750.00
T43 HUDSON Rebecca ENG +4 75 72 73 220 2750.00
T43 SKARPNORD Marianne NOR +4 71 75 74 220 2750.00
T43 PLUCKSATAPORN Titiya THA +4 74 71 75 220 2750.00
T43 LAMPERT Karolin GER +4 74 71 75 220 2750.00
T43 SUWANNAPURA Thidapa THA +4 71 71 78 220 2750.00
T49 SANDOLO Sophie ITA +5 73 75 73 221 2150.00
T49 HERBIN Celine FRA +5 75 73 73 221 2150.00
T49 COWAN Olivia GER +5 74 74 73 221 2150.00
T49 LUNA Diana ITA +5 74 74 73 221 2150.00
T49 ALONSO Carmen ESP +5 72 75 74 221 2150.00
T49 BROCH LARSEN Nicole DEN +5 74 72 75 221 2150.00
T55 ALLEN Beth USA +6 71 77 74 222 1687.50
T55 LEURQUIN Chloe BEL +6 73 72 77 222 1687.50
T55 JIMENEZ MARTIN Noemi ESP +6 71 73 78 222 1687.50
T55 GABSA Isi GER +6 71 72 79 222 1687.50
59 NOCERA Gwladys FRA +7 70 72 81 223 1550.00
60 SAUZON Agathe FRA +8 72 76 76 224 1500.00
61 VILATTE FARRET Alexandra FRA +9 74 74 77 225 1450.00
62 O'NEAL Blair USA +10 75 73 78 226 1400.00
T63 CAUDAL Anne-Lise FRA +11 72 76 79 227 1325.00
T63 ESCURIOLA MARTINEZ Natalia ESP +11 74 74 79 227 1325.00
65 SANZ BARRIO Patricia ESP +13 76 72 81 229 1250.00
66 KEMP Sarah AUS +14 75 73 82 230 1200.00
MISSED THE CUT
MC ARTHUR Bree AUS +5 76 73 149
MC WALKER Sophie ENG +5 77 72 149
MC MACLAREN Meghan ENG +5 72 77 149
MC MEADOW Stephanie NIR +5 72 77 149
MC ANDRE Lucie FRA +5 76 73 149
MC DAFFINRUD Tonje NOR +5 74 75 149
MC CHEN Connie RSA +5 76 73 149
MC LAING Vikki SCO +5 76 73 149
MC PRETSWELL Pamela SCO +5 72 77 149
MC DAVIES Laura ENG +6 75 75 150
MC DERREY Valentine FRA +6 76 74 150
MC SERGAS Giulia ITA +6 74 76 150
MC CARNET Anaelle FRA +6 75 75 150
MC DREHER Justine FRA +7 73 78 151
MC WATSON Sally SCO +7 72 79 151
MC STAHLE Louise SWE +7 78 73 151
MC BAKKER Krista FIN +7 79 72 151
MC BOULDEN Amy WAL +7 77 74 151
MC HE Muni (a) CHN +8 76 76 152
MC GIVENS Eleanor ENG +8 74 78 152
MC CROCE Stefania ITA +8 74 78 152
MC KLATTEN Joanna FRA +8 77 75 152
MC LEE Jung Min KOR +8 72 80 152
MC SANGCHAN Supamas THA +8 78 74 152
MC PETERS Alexandra ENG +9 77 76 153
MC RICORDEAU Marion FRA +9 76 77 153
MC GARCIA Nicole RSA +9 77 76 153
MC BRISTOW Cathryn NZL +9 75 78 153
MC SANZ BARRIO Marta ESP +10 82 72 154
MC BLOMQVIST Minea FIN +10 78 76 154
MC WOLF Christine AUT +10 78 76 154
MC PROVOT Ariane FRA +10 77 77 154
MC GUSTAVSSON Johanna SWE +11 77 78 155
MC DAVIES Rosie ENG +12 78 78 156
MC NIELSEN Daisy DEN +12 78 78 156
MC WIKSTROM Ursula FIN +13 79 78 157
MC SPIRANAC Paige USA +13 77 80 157
MC SINGHSUWAN Chayuda THA +13 77 80 157
MC JOHNSON Trish ENG +16 81 79 160
MC MEHRA Smriti IND +17 80 81 161
MC PEZZOLA Chelsea USA +20 82 82 164
WD DIMMOCK Annabel ENG 76 WD