Dubai: Shanshan Feng came from five strokes behind to win her fourth Omega Dubai Ladies Masters title in five years in blustery conditions at Emirates Golf Club on Saturday.
The 27-year-old Chinese started the final day five strokes behind the target of seven under par set by leader Felicity Johnson and sat tied for 13th in the leaderboard at two under par following opening rounds of 72 and 70.
However, she fired 64 — one stroke off equalling a course record — on Saturday to overtake Johnson who carded a 75 and finished 10-under for the tournament, two strokes clear of next placed Charley Hull.
Johnson ended six strokes back at four-under in a tie for seventh having at one stage been 10-under par herself, four strokes clear through five.
Not only is this a record best ever comeback in this tournament, but it also extends Shanshan’s own record of most wins here to four since 2012.
“I’m so excited, because I didn’t play super well in my first two rounds,” said Shanshan, who carded four birdies on either nine. “My putting was kind of lost but I’m very happy I was able to putt well today and make a lot of birdies to make the crowds excited.
“I knew it was going to be windy today and I knew that playing in the wind is one of my strengths.
“So even though I was five behind, I always thought that maybe I would still have a chance to win this week and I tried my best. Eight-under for the day was a pretty good score.”
Comparing this win to her other previous three victories on the Majlis Course, she added: “This is kind of different, because in the first three times that I won here, I was leading by five shots going into the final day.
“This time I was five behind. So I knew that I would have to play hard to try and catch the leaders. But I think the weather was great for me. If there wasn’t as much wind out there today I don’t know what would have happened.
“When there is strong wind the quality of your shots are important and that’s what I’m good at. I leave myself birdie chances even though it’s really windy.
“I knew that the wind would actually bother a lot of the other girls and that they wouldn’t shoot as low.”
Asked if she was aware of Johnson’s meltdown, Shanshan replied: “Not really. I knew the leaders started at seven under and I was just thinking to reach 10 under. If I got to 10 under and didn’t win I would still be happy about it.
“After coming off at eighteen, my caddie said: ‘you got it’, and I heard the crowd cheering, so that’s when I realised I’d won.”
Leaderboard
Shanshan Feng (China) 206
Charley Hull (England) 208
Aditi Ashok (India) 210
Florentyna Parker (England) 210
Georgia Hall (England) 211
Ashleigh Simon (South Africa) 211
Nontaya Srisawang (Thailand) 212
Emily Kristine Pederson (Denmark) 212
Felicity Johnon (England) 212
