Chinese rookie Feng Shanshan shot a 2-under 69 in the final round on Sunday to grab sole possesion of fourth place with a 12-under 272 total at the LPGA Jamie Farr Classic won by American Paula Creamer.
Shanshan Feng, from China, watches her tee shot on the second hole in the final round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club Sunday, July 13, 2008 in Sylvania, Ohio.
Feng made a charge on Sunday with five birdies through the first 11 holes but then stumbled on the back nine by making three consecutive bogeys beginning on hole No 14.
Although a decorated amateur player in China, the 18-year-old Feng was an unlikely candidate to contend this week against Creamer, who is No 3 on the tour money list and leads the US Solheim Cup points race.
In her 16 starts this year, Feng missed the cut 10 times and withdrew once. Her earnings of $20,662 put her 146th in tour earnings. She had broken 70 just three times in her 35 rounds before arriving in suburban Toledo.
For fourth place, Feng earned $66,314, her biggest jackpot on the LPGA Tour.
Creamer followed up her opening-round course record 60 with a final round 2-over 73 to hang on and capture the title on Sunday.
The 21-year-old American finished with a 16-under 268 total to beat Nicole Castrale by two strokes at the $1.3 million tournament.
"It's always difficult to lead from start to finish. There is so much pressure," said Creamer, after picking up her third title of the season and the seventh of her four year LPGA Tour career. "But I'm just pleased that I got the job done."
Creamer went into the final round with a six-stroke lead and had to hold off late challenges from Castrale, who fired an 8-under 64 in the final round, and Chinese rookie Feng.
Castrale finished with a flourish, rolling in six birdies on the final eight holes.
Creamer made three bogeys and had one birdie on Sunday at the Highland Meadows Golf Club.
South Korea's Ji Eun-hee finished third with a 72, three shots back of Creamer.
(Agencies via China Daily July 15, 2008)