DUBAI, Dec 12, 2014 - In a near repeat of her dominant performance two years ago, Shanshan Feng pushed her lead to five strokes after the third round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.
On 199, 17-under-par, the world number five from China was one stroke shy of her 2012 54-hole tournament record score in the season-ending event on the Ladies European Tour.
Feng fired a third round 66 to sit five clear of Melissa Reid from England (65) with Carlota Ciganda, Anna Nordqvist and Charley Hull two shots back in a tie for third.
When Feng posted a record winning total of 21-under par in 2012, she fell one stroke short in matching Sorenstam's largest winning margin of six shots she recorded in the inaugural edition in 2006.
On this year’s plans, she said: “My goal was actually to get to 20‑under, so now I'm 17. So I think, yeah, still have a chance to get to 20,” said Feng, who was 26-under when she won the Reignwood Classic in 2013. “If I make it top three, I'm happy. But of course, you know, if I have a chance to win, I'm going to give all my best.”
Feng birdied the first and eagled the third hole, but dropped her only shot on the fourth. She was 14-under and four ahead of Hull when the 18-year-old from England took a triple bogey seven after going out of bounds on the 12th hole but Hull immediately recovered with three birdies in her last six holes.
Hull said: “I'm actually really happy to be honest. I got off to a fast start and I was 3‑under through ten holes, and just lost a little bit of concentration for two holes. I fought back after making a triple and a bogey with three birdies after that, so I'm really proud of myself for doing that. Just bad course management. My caddie told me to chip out and I was like, no, I'm going for it. But I'm happy I went for it because I've learnt from my mistakes. I have to make my own mistakes to learn from them. So I'm happy ‑‑ I'm not happy for making it, but I've definitely learnt and I'm happy I holed like a 50‑foot putt.”
Another English star, Reid, who won the last of her four Ladies European Tour victories at the 2012 Prague Masters, said she had played some of her best ever golf.
“It's been a long time coming. I worked actually a week with my coach, Kevin Craggs, a week before this week at Saadiyat, and I think we just found kind of the missing ingredient. So it was nice to put it into play. I played really well yesterday. I think I missed three greens yesterday and then today I think I missed one. So I'm hitting it well. I'm just trying to keep it simple and get the noise out of my head. It's working,” she said.
“It's been a really tough couple years. It's been a lot harder than I expected and I probably didn't give myself enough credit for what's happened and stuff. Things change, and I actually feel that my personal life is stable, which is quite nice, not being a rebel anymore. The last two or three months, everything has quieted down and everything's good and I'm happy, and I think it's now showing through in my golf.”
Earlier in the third round, England’s Georgia Hall produced the perfect shot when she aced the 167-yard par-3 15th hole using a 4-iron. The 18-year-old from Bournemouth in Dorset won a gleaming Mercedes Benz C 200 worth around €60,000 and will now have to buy herself some driving lessons as she can’t yet drive. It was the second hole in one of the week, after Stacey Keating aced the fourth for no prize in the first round.
Elsewhere, young Indian amateur Aditi Ashok continued to make her presence felt in a world-class field, carding level-par 73 in third round to stay at one over, four shots behind Lee So-young, the only other amateur in the field.
Collated scores after round 3:
199 - Shanshan Feng (CHN) 66 67 66
204 - Melissa Reid (ENG) 70 69 65
206 - Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 69 71 66, Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 69 69 68, Charley Hull (ENG) 67 70 69
207 - Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN) 71 70 66, Noora Tamminen (FIN) 72 66 69
208 - Caroline Masson (GER) 68 71 69
209 - Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 69 69 71
210 - Malene Jorgensen (DEN) 74 69 67, Sarah Kemp (AUS) 71 68 71, Ashleigh Simon (RSA) 70 71 69, Liz Young (ENG) 70 71 69, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 67 73 70
211 - Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) 72 70 69, Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) 71 72 68, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 70 70 71, Felicity Johnson (ENG) 73 68 70, Cheyenne Woods (USA) 70 69 72, Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 68 72 71
212 - Minjee Lee (AUS) 74 68 70, Isabelle Boineau (FRA) 72 72 68, Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 72 71 69
213 - Joanna Klatten (FRA) 70 72 71, Amy Boulden (WAL) 70 74 69, Katie Burnett (USA) 71 69 73, Soyoung Lee (KOR) 67 74 72, Whitney Hillier (AUS) 71 69 73
214 - Holly Clyburn (ENG) 72 69 73, Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) 67 73 74, Sally Watson (SCO) 76 70 68
215 - Margherita Rigon (ITA) 72 71 72, Jade Schaeffer (FRA) 73 69 73, Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 74 71 70, Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 71 70 74
216 - Becky Morgan (WAL) 71 71 74, Sophie Walker (ENG) 71 71 74, Connie Chen (RSA) 74 70 72, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 71 75 70, Nikki Campbell (AUS) 68 76 72, Valentine Derrey (FRA) 70 72 74, Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) 72 74 70
217 - Marion Ricordeau (FRA) 71 75 71, Cathryn Bristow (NZL) 70 73 74, Aditi Ashok (IND) 72 73 72, Rebecca Codd (IRL) 71 74 72, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 74 72 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 71 70 76, Kylie Walker (SCO) 71 72 74
218 - Stacey Keating (AUS) 70 76 72, Elisabeth Esterl (GER) 74 66 78, Bree Arthur (AUS) 72 74 72, Sophie Sandolo (ITA) 75 71 72, Mireia Prat (ESP) 69 75 74, Caroline Martens (NOR) 71 72 75, Holly Aitchison (ENG) 70 72 76, Georgia Hall (ENG) 75 69 74, Mallory Fraiche (USA) 74 71 73
219 - Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER) 73 71 75, Pamela Pretswell (SCO) 72 71 76, Maha Haddioui (MAR) 71 75 73, Eleanor Givens (ENG) 72 72 75, Kelsey Macdonald (SCO) 71 72 76, Carin Koch (SWE) 66 77 76
220 - Minea Blomqvist (FIN) 74 72 74
221 - Stefania Croce (ITA) 71 75 75
Friday Third Round Interviews
Omega Dubai Ladies Masters
Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, U.A.E
December 12, 2014
Interviews with:
SHANSHAN FENG
MELISSA REID
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN
GWLADYS NOCERA
SHANSHAN FENG
Q. Great round of golf for you out there, you're in a dominant position?
SHANSHAN FENG: Yeah, I think I did pretty well. I think Charley definitely gave me a lot of pressure after ten holes, and then, well, and then it was kind of like a very big switch like for two holes, because I made 2‑under and she was actually plus three for those two holes. And then there was a little more pressure off and I played well in the back, too.
Q. The eagle at 3 really was key to get you going, really.
SHANSHAN FENG: The first hole I made a birdie and then I was 3‑under after three holes, but I was like, oh, I'm doing well. And then my goal was actually to get to 20‑under, so now I'm 17. So I think, yeah, still have a chance to get to 20.
Q. Mel Reid shot a round of seven under today so she's currently five shots behind you. It's a healthy lead heading into the final day. I know you target a top three coming into this. I should think that's pretty much achieved now and it must be just targeting that victory?
SHANSHAN FENG: No, I never changed my goal. If I make it top three, I'm happy. But of course, you know, if I have a chance to win, I'm going to give all my best. I would say Melissa is a really good player, and I've played with her many times. We are good friends, so I think I'll have a good time tomorrow.
MELISSA REID
Q. That was the lowest round of the day so far, 7‑under, second place, sensational day of golf from you?
MELISSA REID: Yeah, it's been a long time coming. I worked actually a week with my coach, Kevin Craggs, a week before this week at Saadiyat, and I think we just found kind of the missing ingredient. So it was nice to put it into play. I played really well yesterday. I think I missed three greens yesterday and then today I think I missed one. So I'm hitting it well. I'm just trying to keep it simple and get the noise out of my head. It's working.
Q. Just chatting to your caddie, he said you said to him, that's the best you've ever played. Is that fair?
MELISSA REID: Yeah, I think it is. All in all, that's probably the best I've played. I was just striking it really well. I was hitting my drives really long and I was confident in my driver. It feels good. Like I said, I'm just trying to get rid of the noise, make it simple again. I'm just trying to play like I do in practice. I always play well in practice, so just trying to go with that approach and seems to be working quite well at the minute.
Q. You did well in Slovakia, didn't quite build on that; funny old season, but have a chance to possibly win.
MELISSA REID: It's been a really tough couple years. It's been a lot harder than I expected and I probably didn't give myself enough credit for what's happened and stuff. Things change, and I actually feel that my personal life is stable, which is quite nice, not being a rebel anymore.
The last two or three months, everything has quieted down and everything's good and I'm happy, and I think it's now showing through in my golf. Like I said, I had a really good chat with Kev last week and I think we found something. I'm definitely going to build on that and this is just a progression, really, for next season.
Q. Five off the lead, but Shanshan has been in sensational form but you're in career‑best form. Are you confident of maybe catching her?
MELISSA REID: She's playing great. You can't take that away from her. She's going to be very difficult to catch tomorrow. If I keep playing the way I am, then I'm going to try to putt as much pressure on her as possible without giving away too much.
It's nice to be within distance of her. Hopefully I'll be playing with her tomorrow and I can see what she's doing. But yeah, she's playing great. So all respect to her and all I can just try and do is just keep her on her toes a little bit.
Q. You talk about noise and your personal life. How much of golf is actually mental ‑‑
MELISSA REID: Huge. Huge. I think the thing is when you're struggle, you go looking for things, and that's definitely what I did. I got way too deep into stuff and I kind of stripped it back and kind of just did things that made me happy.
I started playing football again, which a lot of people would probably disagree with, but it works for me. When I practice now, I was doing 40 hours a week whereas I've never really done that. I've always been quite a natural player. So I've kind of stripped back on that and made a lot more task‑orientated kind of structure.
It's just kind of finding what works for you. I've worked really hard in the gym recently which is important with me, with my trainer, Jon Woods, at St. George's Park, which is an amazing facility there. It's just finding what works for you. I'm realising that I'm different from I would say the majority of golfers. So it's now just having the confidence to do what I want to do and not what everybody else is telling me to do.
Q. In what sort of sense are you different?
MELISSA REID: I just would say that ‑‑ because I've grown up in team sports. I miss having a team around me. I would say that I'm not hugely selfish person, so I think in this game, you have to like your own company, be a little bit selfish. Whereas I'm not ‑‑ I don't like my own company and I'm not very selfish.
But the thing is, that's why I wanted to get such a close team around me. They are my team and they are the ones that I trust, and now I feel like I've got a really, really strong team. So it's been in place for a while, but we've just had so many changes just to kind of get all the pieces together. This really was just a test just for next year, and so I'm not really expecting too much, but I'm just enjoying playing well again.
Q. You mentioned about Saadiyat. Is that something you always do?
MELISSA REID: They have all been really nice, accommodating to me. Obviously my sponsors are here, so I like to come out here in January usually just a week before I go to Australia, and Saadiyat have always been amazing with me. I thought I would bring Kev out for this trip and it's been amazing, we had five really, really good days.
It's just nice having a facility like that available. So I'll be going back there in the end of January before I go to Australia.
Q. With all that you've been through, is it nice to be back amongst in second place?
MELISSA REID: Yeah, I think that there was a time where I didn't know if I wanted to play golf anymore, which actually was not that long ago. So to go from there to this, it's nice; and my dad's here, it's nice for him to see me playing well again. It's nice for my dad obviously to be here, as well. It's just nice to kind of feel like I've figured something out. But that's main thing, really, was just figuring it out and I feel like I've done that now and so I can progress into next year.
CHARLEY HULL
Q. You're still in contention but wasn't quite the day you were after today.
CHARLEY HULL: I'm actually really happy to be honest. I got off to a fast start and I was 3‑under through ten holes, and just lost a little bit of concentration for two holes. I fought back after making a triple and a bogey with three birdies after that, so I'm really proud of myself for doing that.
Q. What happened with the triple?
CHARLEY HULL: Just bad course management. My caddie told me to chip out and I was like, no, I'm going for it. But I'm happy I went for it because I've learnt from my mistakes. I have to make my own mistakes to learn from them. So I'm happy ‑‑ I'm not happy for making it, but I've definitely learnt and I'm happy I holed like a 50‑foot putt.
Q. There's two competitions, really, going on for you this week. There's the actual tournament itself and the Order of Merit, as well. The Order of Merit race is still very much alive.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I have no clue how Gwladys with getting on. I'm happy and here to win the tournament and not worry about that too much. One more day tomorrow, hopefully I can go and play well.
Q. Your triple, did you drive into the bushes?
CHARLEY HULL: Hit it left, hit it left again out‑of‑bounds. Tried to chip out ‑‑ plugged where I dropped it, hit it in the sand, duffed it, pitched up, holed it.
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I think if I make a good result this week, I can get closer to Sally, but I think Amy is too far. But maybe I have a chance if I play well tomorrow. So far, it's been a very good year for me.
Q. Can you explain your round today, how that went out there today?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I think it's the first time I hit 18 greens, and then I just, yeah, six putts in and rest two putts. It was really nice. I just enjoyed it with my caddie, Cecily, from Denmark, from the national team. It was fun.
Q. When you came into this event, did you have in your mind that if you play very well, that you could win the Rookie of the Year?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, I think I will go for it any time. I mean, if I played well, I can reach them. That's my goal for tomorrow I think.
Q. Top two, if you finish top two, I think you go above their earnings for the year. The way you've played today, that must give you confidence?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, absolutely do.
Q. Sally was saying that your game is suited to this course; that you're quite a big hitter. Is that the way it is, that it suits you, your game?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, I think this course is really good to me. They moved up some tee boxes today. No. 2, I could reach and No. 17, I could reach, as well. Yeah, it was a good setup for me today, as well.
The other days, I didn't manage to play as well as I want to, but today was really good.
Q. Do you think the fact that you've come into this weekend with most of the attention being on Amy and Sally has enabled you to relax a little bit, coming under the radar, so to speak, and just play yourself?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, I tried to just enjoy today, and I have some tournaments behind this season where I just focus on everything outside myself. Today I just enjoyed being on the course and have fun out there. It worked, so I'll try to do the same tomorrow.
Q. How much would the rookie prize mean to you?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: It would mean a lot. It would be amazing to be called Rookie of the Year.
Q. Sally was saying you were her target at the start of the season and for whatever reason, it's come between Amy and Sally. Was there a time in the season where you were perhaps maybe a bit down on yourself or you thought, oh, God, I'm not going to be in this position on the final day?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I don't think I was down on myself. Amy played really well some weeks and had a good chance, and Sally the same. I think it was just them playing better than me. Yeah, I've tried to learn being in the top. Yeah, it cost me some tournaments.
Q. Realistically, what do you think your chances are for Rookie?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: I hope to be No. 2. I think that would be realistic.
Q. But then you've got to rely on the maths, Amy to fall slightly lower down?
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, I think I'll need them to play bad tomorrow and I don't hope they do that. I will just play my game and then we will see where it takes me.
Q. Do you think that Amy, especially, perhaps, has shown signs, especially with the way she's been playing, of perhaps the pressure getting to her? You obviously don't have that. Do you think you've caught them off‑guard, as well? Maybe they thought it was a two‑horse race and now you're here.
NICOLE BROCH LARSEN: Yeah, hopefully they will think that. But they are good players, and especially Amy has shown she has the nerves to play well in pressure, so we'll see tomorrow.
GWLADYS NOCERA
Q. A round of 71 today, are you a touch frustrated?
GWLADYS NOCERA: Yeah, a little bit. I didn't hit the ball really well in the front nine. So I was too far away from the pin, missed a couple of greens and had a pretty bad miss, bad shots. But the round started, not so good, so it was hard. Then I fought really hard and I finished well.
So, it's good. I'm still alive.
Q. Plenty of birdies, just need to cut out the bogeys tomorrow?
GWLADYS NOCERA: I think I need to hit better off the tee and my irons, I had some bad kicks, bad bounces, and I was in the rough all the time. Yeah, I just need to play better.
Q. I was just chatting to your caddie, we were running through the scenarios you need to still win the Order of Merit. You're not that far away from Charley. It's still very much on.
GWLADYS NOCERA: Yeah, I think I have a chance. I'll go for it tomorrow. I'm the one that's got nothing to lose, so I will go for it no problem.
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