PUTTER FAILS FENG ON WEEKEND
Sunday, Shanshan Feng was dressed in her signature cow-patterned attire and ready to leave her mark on USGA history. But for the second consecutive day, the putter let her down, and she arrived at the 72nd hole needing eagle to force a playoff with Sung Hyun Park who was already in the clubhouse at 11-under par. Feng sent her approach sailing over the green, eliminating a chance for eagle and left her chip short of the putting surface and rolled back to her feet. Her putt for double lipped out and she settled for a triple bogey, eight at the par five to drop from solo second into a tie for fifth at six-under par.
“I think overall before the last hole I did pretty well,” Feng said after her round. “I did a good job hanging in right there because my putting was not really that great.”
Feng combined for 64 putts over the weekend but still managed to post her second best finish at the U.S. Women’s Open.
“You know now I look back I should be happy, actually, about my result because coming into this week I had no expectations at all. My last three U.S. Opens I think I missed tow cuts and last year I just made the cut so actually this year is such an improvement. So I think it’s been great.
ALEX, LOW AMERICAN
Marina Alex knew it would be tough to play in her home state of New Jersey, but handled the pressure well and finished T-11, the low American in this year's U.S. Women’s Open Conducted by the USGA. It’s her best major finish since 2014 when she finished tied for ninth at the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
“This is awesome,” said Alex. “I feel like I've improved so much from then until now in terms of my game and just nice to be back close to the lead.
“Being in contention and being under a lot of pressure and just figuring out ways to handle it, ways to just improve on dealing with the environment and how to hit quality shots when under a lot of pressure.
“I don't think anyone can teach you one way or the other. You can ask a lot of players who have been there. It's a learning process. Everyone is different. They handle it how they handle it. It's just me figuring out myself.
The hometown favorite had her entire family and a ton of fans out watching today as she carded a 2-under par, 70.
“Every hole. It's cool. It's awesome,” said Alex. “I'm really glad that the State of New Jersey and the community found it and interesting coming out to watch me and watching women's golf, being out here. I'm really happy.”
The New Jersey native has work to do to continue to improve but is moving in the right direction.
“I'm close,” said Alex, who opened with rounds of 71-70 before posting a 73 on moving day. “Mainly just handling myself under pressure and being able to play how I play the first two rounds [also on] Saturday and Sunday and continuing to keep that up and try and handle the circumstances better each time.”
This week’s low American hopes to make the 2017 Solheim Cup team but knows others are hoping to make the team as well.
“Playing would be fantastic, but if I don't make it I don't make it,” explained Alex. “It's not -- I'm still looking at how I'm performing throughout the year. It's such an improvement from the past few years.
“That's extremely gratifying. If I make the team, that would be spectacular, but if I don't, it is what it is. There's a ton of players playing well right now.”
LEE POSTS LOW ROUND ON SUNDAY
After a disappointing 77 on moving day, Minjee Lee had a much earlier tee time on Sunday than she would have liked. But she bounced back from her highest round in the U.S. Women’s Open with her lowest round and the best round of the day with a six-under par, 66 to finish tied for 11th.
“I just wanted to have a good day. I hit it better, I hit more fairways and I hit more greens,” Lee told the media. “I just came out and thought, let’s just finish with a good day at a U.S. Open.”
Lee’s finish is the latest in what has been a solid season for the three-time winner, who has six top-10s in 2017, and remains confident her first major victory could still come this season.
“Obviously, I am hitting it good and I am putting it good,” said Lee. “We have the British Open and the Evian, two majors left. Hopefully, I can have good results there. I mean I’m just going to do the same and hope for the best.”
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