Shanshan in driver’s seat at Tour season finale

NEW YORK: Feng Shanshan credited an attitude adjustment for her redhot form after the Chinese player rolled on with an opening 66 to lead the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida on Thursday.

Shanshan, who won her last two starts on the LPGA Tour and has not finished outside the top-four since claiming the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in August, led South Korean Ryu So-Yeon and Briton Charley Hull by one stroke.

“My confidence level is up,” said Shanshan. “Before, I think I took it too easy on myself. When I have a chance to win I always tell myself, ‘It’s OK, stick to your same plan and if you don’t win, it’s OK.’

“But right now, I’m actually talking to myself and say, ‘When you have a chance, you need to go for it.’ That’s why I can be really consistent recently.

“I would be more happy if I could win more.”

A group of eight players, including two-time major winner Chun InGee, were another shot back at 64.

Although Thai Ariya Jutanugarn, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and Canadian Brooke Henderson entered the season-ending event as favourites to lead the Race to the CME Globe points list and win a US$1 million (RM4.3 million) bonus, Shanshan is now in the driver’s seat.

“It’s not really in my plan,” she said.

“I’m not really thinking about it. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind taking the million dollars back home. It would be a very good winter.”