Shanshan Feng (Chinese: 冯珊珊; pinyin: Féng Shān Shān, Mandarin pronunciation:[fə̌ŋʂə́ŋʂə́ŋ]; born 5 August 1989) is a Chinese former professional golfer who previously played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She was the first player from China to become a member of the LPGA Tour, which she joined in 2008. Feng 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.[2] 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.[3][4] Her best finish in 16 previous majors was a tie for 22nd at the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship.[5][6] With the victory, she moved from tenth to fifth in the Women's World Golf Rankings.[7] On 20 August 2016, Feng won the Olympic bronze medal in women's golf at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.[8] From November 2017 to April 2018, she was first in the Women's World Golf Rankings.[9]
In August 2022, Feng announced her retirement from professional golf.[10][11][12][13]
Early life, family and early golf development
2009 Women's British Open
Feng was born in Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong,[14] and started playing golf at age 10 at the urging of her father, Feng Xiong, who worked at the golf association in their hometown.[15][16][17][18]
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.[19] 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.[19] On the weekends, she travelled outside of the city to a local course to play practice rounds and work on her short game.[19]
When Feng was in high school an agent discovered her, at a tournament in China, and this led to her meeting coach Gary Gilchrist.[19] When Feng was 17 years old, Gilchrist offered her a full scholarship to attend his junior golf academy in Hilton Head, South Carolina.[19] Feng accepted the offer and moved to the U.S. hoping to become a professional golfer.[19] 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.[20] 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.[20] 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.[20]
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 (2004–06).[21] She was the Champion of the 2006 China Women's Amateur Open.[21] A member of the 2006 All-China Championship Team, she earned a medalist honors at the event.[21] In 2007 she was named Golfweeks's Top Chinese Amateur after winning four tournaments on the International Junior Golf Tour (IIGT) in 2007.[21]
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.[22]
^"Gary Gilchrist on Growth of China's Future Golfers". The A Position. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
^"Shanshan Feng". BBC News. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
^http://tucsoncitizen.com/usa-today-sports/2012/06/10/shanshan-feng-wins-a-major-for-china/[permanent dead link]
^Mell, Randall (10 June 2012). "Feng win could inspire Chinese girls". Golf Channel. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
^Voepel, Mechelle (11 June 2012). "Shanshan Feng becomes first winner from China". ESPN W. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
^DiMeglio, Steve (10 June 2012). "Shanshan Feng claims China's first major title in golf". USA Today. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
^"Women's World Golf Rankings". Rolex Rankings. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
^Porter, Kyle (20 August 2016). "2016 Rio Olympic golf: Park, Ko take medals as Americans just miss bronze". CBS Sports.
^"Women's World Golf Rankings". Rolex Rankings. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
^Rogers, Amy (2 August 2022). "Former world No. 1 Shanshan Feng announces retirement from LPGA". Golf Channel. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
^Eubanks, Steve (2 August 2022). "Shanshan Feng Bids A Fond Farewell To Fans Everywhere". LPGA. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
^Nichols, Beth Ann (9 August 2022). "Celebrating a newly-retired Shanshan Feng, the pioneering Chinese player who broke barriers with humor and one-of-a-kind style". Golfweek. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
^Levins, Keely (1 August 2022). "Former World No. 1 Shanshan Feng, first Chinese LPGA Tour player, announces retirement". Golf Digest. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
^"Guangzhou Sports Officials visit Seattle in September 2011". Washington Cultural Exchange. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
^"Get to Know Shanshan Feng". LPGA. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
^"Shanshan Feng Bio". LPGA. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
^Golf Channel television interview with Feng upon winning the 2012 LPGA Championship on 10 June 2012
^"Feng Shanshan, China's first golf number one and 'guinea pig'". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^ a b c d e f"China's Shanshan Feng does things her way". ESPN. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^ a b c"Feng Shanshan's driving ambition" (PDF). China Daily. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^ a b c d"Shanshan Feng Bio". LPGA. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^"Final Qualifying Tournament Results 2007". LPGA. 2 December 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
^"Shanshan Feng results". LPGA. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
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