Dubai: Defending champion Shanshan Feng believes she can still get back into contention after shooting a disappointing four-over par 76 on first day of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Wednesday.

Feng hit three bogeys on her outward nine and returned with two more either side of a birdie. It was a marked difference to last year when she started with a six-under par score of 66 and went onto win the tournament with an event record total of 21-under par 267, five strokes clear of her nearest rival.

The World No.4, who became the first Chinese golfer to win a major when she lifted the LPGA Championship last year, entered this week as the favourite. However, her bid to become only the second golfer since Annika Sorenstam to win this event twice consecutively is now in doubt.

“We are all human beings and some days we are not feeling well, I think that’s fair for everybody,” said Feng, who blamed the speed of the greens, compounded by a lack of sleep and jetlag, for her performance. “I played really well here yesterday [in the Pro Am and challenge match] so I don’t know why I started to struggle today. I didn’t have any pressure on me it’s just my condition was not good.

“I just felt like I wasn’t there, I didn’t know who was playing, I couldn’t control anything and couldn’t concentrate. But today’s finished and hopefully I’ll have good days at the weekend. I’ll stick to my normal gameplan. I wasn’t myself today but I’ll bring my [true] self tomorrow. I’ve still got three more days, so I’ll sleep well tonight and come back tomorrow.”

Fellow favourite, world No.3 double major winning Stacy Lewis also had understated start, shooting two-under par 70, with two outward birdies and an inward birdie bogey combination.

Lewis said of Feng’s round: “I am quite surprised. She’s just come off a win and won here last year. But she could easily shoot a good round here tomorrow and be right back in it.

“I don’t feel like the course is playing hard enough for anyone to run away and shoot really low scores. The greens are so firm and fast that you have to play smart, so I feel like I’m still in it and there are still three days left. If I can make a few putts I can still be there.”