(The Sports Xchange) - Shanshan Feng struggled down the stretch but was able to hold on and post a one-shot victory on Sunday at the LPGA Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Feng bogeyed two of the last three holes and that opened the door for South Korea's Sung Hyun Park to force a playoff. But Park shot a par-5 on the 18th hole to tie for second place with Australian Minjee Lee.
Feng made six birdies while shooting 68 in the final round for a 19-under 269 total. Lee posted eight birdies and one bogey in a round of 65, while Park shot 66 in a bogey-free round.
The 27-year-old Feng, who is from China, set a tournament record for a 72-hole score. She also relished the victory because it was just her third on American soil. It is her seventh overall LPGA victory.
"I'm really happy that I'm not only playing well in Asia but also in the U.S.," Feng said afterward, "and very glad that a lot of the Chinese came today to actually come support me."
While Feng hung on, Park was pleased with the run she made and hopes her performance will prompt an upgrade in her play.
"I think all the events I played so far leading up to this event, things weren't really going well for me," Park said. "I think I lost a little bit of confidence. But playing well this week, I think I regained my confidence and I'm looking forward to playing the rest of the year."
Lee's 65 matched the lowest score for this week's tournament. She didn't appear to have much of a chance late but Feng's stumbles helped her close to within one.
"I saw the leaderboard walking up and I was like 'Oh, I'm four shots behind with like two holes to go,'" Lee said. "So just tried to play and make as many birdies as I could on the last two holes. I made one."
Feng will move up to sixth in the Rolex rankings due to the victory.