DUBAI, Dec 13 – Shanshan Feng hardly needed to work up sweat as the world number five strolled to a five-shot victory in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club on Saturday.
Five in front overnight, the extremely-gifted golfer closed with a two-under 70 to finish at 19 under in delightful conditions for her second win in three appearances in the season-ending Ladies European Tour event.
“It’s my second time to win here, and the staff just told me I’m actually one of the two people that has won twice here, and the other one is Annika. So it makes me like feel really proud of myself,” Feng said.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda birdied the final hole to return a 69 to take solo second on 14-under, one ahead of Caroline Masson of Germany with Anna Nordqvist of Sweden in solo fourth one stroke back.
England’s Charley Hull sealed the 2014 ISPS HANDA Order of Merit after tying for fifth place with compatriots Liz Young and Melissa Reid, as well as Danish duo Nicole Broch Larsen and Malene Jorgensen.
Reid was second overnight after a third round 65, but she faded out of contention after dropping four shots on the front nine. She did pick up three birdies coming home, but it was too late in the day.
It was Feng, who called the shots almost at will, though she fell short of her intended target of reaching the 22-under mark shed needed to break her own record for the lowest under par winning score she posted in 2012.
Feng birdied the third, seventh and eighth on the Majlis course to reach 20-under and was seven strokes clear after as many holes. With the title firmly in her grasp, she bogeyed the 11th and 15th but birdied the 17th and finished with a tap-in par to round off a rewarding week in Dubai.
“I think if I would get to 22 under, then I didn’t think anybody would catch up. So I was going for 22, but of course I didn’t. I still think I did well,” said Feng, adding that she would visit Dubai’s malls for some retail therapy after the round.
In the race for the Omega Rookie of the Year, Amy Boulden from Wales held off the challenge of Sally Watson and Nicole Broch Larsen to take the prestigious title. Broch Larsen gave a fantastic chase, but could not catch Boulden, who tied for 24th.
