Shanshan Feng grabs early lead at weather-affected US Women’s Open

It marked the first time the 27-year-old from China broke 70 in 42 Open rounds. On the par-5 18th, she made an 8-footer for birdie, after hitting her drive left and into the rough.

The weather is supposed clear, but the President will still be watching and it will still be the U.S. Women’s Open.

Feng, who has never finished better than fourth in the Open (2012), started her round on the 10th hole and played the back side in 5 under, rolling in five birdies.

The last group have six holes to finish tomorrow morning.

“If the President of the United States decides to attend the U.S. Women’s Open championship, we welcome him”, the USGA said.

“This is probably the most hard turnaround I’ve had”, Alex, in her fourth full season on the LPGA Tour, said shortly after 2 p.m.

Trump arrived in a motorcade fresh from a Bastille Day trip to Paris, and watched from an enclosed viewing area near the 15th green, offering a few waves for cheering fans who eagerly snapped his picture.

Alex was much more forthcoming with her answer than the vast majority of players have been this week.

“I secretly want to be a Secret Service agent”, she said after shooting 72 for two-under 142.

No, that’s not a misprint of her first name.

Not even the arrival of course owner, President Donald Trump, during her round could distract Feng, who’s looking to go wire-to-wire and win her eighth LPGA title. She hasn’t earned a victory on the LPGA Tour since the 2016 Marathon Classic, though at 20 years old it’s hard to be concerned about this being a prolonged slump.

“I started the round really solidly”, Feng said. “After that I felt comfortable about everything”.

Jeongeun6 Lee and ShanShan Feng are the early leaders here on Friday at 6 under. She bogeyed the 13th and 17th holes to finish nine shots off the pace.

Two weeks later South Korean Ryu leap-frogged the Thai into top spot by winning the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and becoming the season’s first multiple victor. Lydia Ko (73) and Brooke Henderson (71) also were 3 under.

Headlining the amateurs in the field this week are four of the top-six players in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Women’s Rankings: No. 1 Leona Maguire, No. 2 Hye-Jin Choi, No. 3 Jennifer Kupcho and No. 6 Eun Jeong Seong.