Threesome proves to be Rio deal at U.S. Open

The USGA always does some interesting matching up of players at its men’s and women’s U.S. Opens.

They’ve done things like group the three best players never to have won a major, that sort of thing. Shane Lowry of Ireland was upset and accused the USGA of “being a bit cheeky” when he was grouped with Brendon de Jonge of South Africa and American Kevin Stadler at the 2014 U.S. Open.

Lowry weighs 225 pounds, de Jonge 230 and Stadler 243.

On Thursday, it was the three medallists from golf’s return to the Olympics last summer in Rio de Janeiro — Inbee Park of Korea, Lydia Ko of New Zealand and China’s Shanshan Feng — in a group together for the first two rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

The grouping worked for Feng, one of the LPGA’s engaging personalities who was wearing some of her signature cow-spot prints Thursday. She had a 6-under-par 66 to take the lead even though she probably didn’t have the most practical preparation for the season’s third major.

She went home to China last week to support one of her sponsors (“Kumho tires,” she said. “Here,” pulling at the logo on her shirt) by playing in their tournament. She didn’t get much in the way of sleep as she travelled to New Jersey overnight, arriving during the day on Monday.

“I felt like it was my responsibility to actually go support my sponsor and also that was my first time to play in China this year, so I really wanted to see my family and all my friends back home,” Feng said.

“This is my 10th year on the Tour. I should be able to play well in any condition because I am a professional. So I don’t take that as an excuse if I don’t play well this week. And I would say I love America. I mean, I love American food. I love steak, maybe Buffalo wings. I’m more about meat.

“I think that’s maybe one of the reasons why that I’ve been doing well because I love the food and I can sleep well and I forget bad things quickly, so that’s good.”