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| Shanshan Feng at the LET’s World Ladies Championship in China in March |
History was made on both sides of the Atlantic last weekend as Shanshan Feng won the Wegmans LPGA Championship, the first player from mainland China to win a golf Major on any Tour, and across the pond, GB & Ireland ended a 16-year wait for Curtis Cup glory by beating the United States by one point. The Curtis Cup joins the Ryder, Solheim and Walker Cups on this side of the Atlantic for the first time in golf history.
Shanshan Feng immediately confirmed her participation in the 37th Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England, 13th to 16th September 2012 joining Sun Young Yoo, winner of the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship, and defending Champion, Yani Tseng. Having won already on the Ladies European Tour in March and captured a victory on the JLPGA Tour in May, 22-year old Feng looks well-placed to challenge at the most international of the women’s Majors and is relishing the task ahead.
Feng explained, “I am really looking forward to playing in the Ricoh Women’s British Open. My passport is actually at the British Embassy right now so I can get my visa so I am already thinking about it for sure! Everyone will want to win the final major of the year and hopefully I will feel a little extra confidence to be announced on the tee as a major winner. Every year I’ve learnt a little more about playing links golf and my results have improved each time so hopefully this will be my year.“
Feng continued, “I am very proud to be the first major winner from mainland China although I think I’m just lucky. There are many good players from China and young players coming through right now. I am the first one to win a major but I’m sure there will be a second, third, and many more.”
Meanwhile, in Nairn, Scotland, one of the most thrilling Curtis Cup matches unfolded with every bit as much drama. The USA raced into an early lead before the GB & Ireland team narrowed the gap to only one-point ahead of the final day’s play. The home players won the final day 5-3, with Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow scoring the crucial point as she beat Amy Anderson. This victory completed the set of all the major trophies Europe or Great Britain and Ireland compete for against the USA. Every one of the participants in the Curtis Cup who remain amateur will be eligible to play in the Final Qualifying for the 2012 Ricoh Women’s British Open.
Shona Malcolm, the LGU’s CEO added, “I am very much looking forward to welcoming Shanshan Feng to Royal Liverpool after her historic victory last weekend and also, to seeing how she, and all the other golf stars, tackle Royal Liverpool for the first time in a professional tournament. I am also hoping to see as many of the Curtis Cup players as possible challenging at the Final Qualifying stage after witnessing their fantastic play at Nairn. The Curtis Cup was a wonderful way to launch the build up for the 2012 Ricoh Women’s British Open and also very reassuring to see how much talent and star quality we have coming through the amateur ranks.”
This year fans will again be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.
Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.
For further information please visit www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com
