KUALA LUMPUR • China's Feng Shanshan won her second Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia title in three years, as a final-round charge from world No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand fizzled out yesterday.
Feng, who won in 2014, had stormed into the lead with a seven-under 64 in a rain-interrupted third round that forced her and several others to wait until early yesterday to finish.
She then started the final round with a bogey on the par-four first hole but regained her footing to finish with a 67 and a 267 total for a three-stroke win over Norway's Suzann Pettersen (66) at TPC Kuala Lumpur.
With the win, the ebullient Feng pocketed US$270,000 (S$375,753) and ended a two-year title drought.
"It's really good, especially in the last four years where I finished second, first, second, first here," the 27-year-old said.
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Feng Shanshan's Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia win yesterday was her second title in Kuala Lumpur.
"Even though I only improved one spot, I think I've had a fantastic week coming back here. Makes me feel like I'm at home.
"I really love this golf course. And actually can we have like 10 LPGA events here on this course?"
She had finished in the top five in her four previous tournaments leading up to the event.
Ko struggled early in the tournament but jumped into contention after shooting 65 on Saturday. She made a run yesterday with three birdies on the front nine but her hopes evaporated when she double-bogeyed the par-three 15th hole, and later bogeyed the par-four 18th hole to finish at 276 with a closing even-par 71.
Ko, 19, has not won since the Marathon Classic in July.
"I think there's still a lot of positives out there," said the New Zealander, who used a Malaysian caddie for the tournament after parting ways with her Australian bagman Jason Hamilton earlier this month.
Anna Nordqvist (70) of Sweden and South Korea's Amy Yang (69) ended up tied for third at 272.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
