CHINESE CARDS FIRST TWO BOGEYS BUT STILL LEADS BY FIVE STROKES
Shanshan Feng proved she is mortal after carding her first two bogeys in the third round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club on Friday.
The 26-year-old Chinese hit two blemish free 67s and had a two-stroke lead at 10 under par coming into day three of the tournament.
She quickly shot up to 16 under par and 10 strokes clear through the 11th hole on day three, and had seemed set to break her own 54-hole record of 17 under par, which was set last year.
But then the World No. 6 dropped two shots with bogeys on holes 14 and 16 before a birdie on 17, to finish with a third consecutive 67 to go 15 under par for the tournament, five strokes clear of an emergent Thidapa Suwannapura of Thailand. “We’re human beings, we’re going to make mistakes,” said Shanshan, who is the joint record winner here with two titles from 2012 and 2014, and holds the record winning score of 21 under par from three years ago.
“I was OK with that and after I was happy to make the birdie on the 17th to get back to five under for the day.
“I think on the back nine maybe I just misjudged the wind a couple of times. I was maybe not as confident on the putting after that, but I was still making good strokes — it’s just speed wise I was missing by a little bit. I was still hitting pretty close though, so it should be fine tomorrow.”
Hitting back
Asked to describe the bogeys by one reporter, she snapped: “Why are you always asking about the bogeys? I already answered. I made a couple of mistakes but it’s OK, it happens to everybody.”
At five strokes clear heading into the final round of the tournament, she still sits primed to take her record third Dubai title, pulling ahead of Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, with whom she currently shares the jointrecord of two wins.
“I’m not really thinking about that,” she added of her imminent third title. “I think I did well these last three days so I’m just looking to keep doing the same thing.
“I haven’t been looking at the leaderboard so I don’t know what the others are doing. But I think five under par [for the day] is still a pretty good score.”
Asked if she feared the fast rising Thai Suwannapura, who added a 65 to earlier rounds of 69 and 72 to go 10 under par thanks to six consecutive birdies on the back nine, she replied: “She must have had a pretty good day today.
“She plays on the LPGA too and I think she’s won on the Ladies European Tour, so I know she’s a good player. (It) should be a pleasant day playing with her in the final group.”
I think on the back nine maybe I just misjudged the wind a couple of times. I was maybe not as confident on the putting after that, but I was still making good strokes - it’s just speed wise I was missing by a little bit. I was still hitting pretty close though, so it should be fine tomorrow.” Shanshan Feng
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Chinese golfer