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HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

February 27, 2018

Shanshan Feng

Republic of Singapore

CHRISTINA LANCE: What did you do to get ready for this part of the LPGA season?

SHANSHAN FENG: I know in Singapore, we always know it's kind of hot here, so I tried to save my energy for the weekend. Playing 18 holes tomorrow for the Pro-Am, so that's why I'm not going to play any on the course today and I actually already practiced already, so now I'm done for the day.

CHRISTINA LANCE: So I'm between you and leaving, in other words.

SHANSHAN FENG: Yeah.

CHRISTINA LANCE: So we need to ask questions so this young lady can go home.

What are your thoughts here on a course here in Singapore, an absolutely lovely layout, and a great place for us to spend a week. Tell us your thoughts on the course here.

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, we played the Tanjong Course last year and it was the first year we played and I real love the design. I think the greens are like chips, so it really requires like very -- iron shots need to be very accurate, which I think that's what my strength is. I think I like this golf course and I think this golf course will suit my game.

Last year, I think I didn't play like real well, but I think recently I've been playing pretty well. Normally I'm a slow starter but this year, this is already my third tournament and I've had two top five finishes in my first two events. So really looking forward to play here again.

CHRISTINA LANCE: If that's a slow start, I don't really know what a fast start is for you. You went right in my next question, you finished fifth last week in Thailand and then fifth before that in the Bahamas. How do you feel your game is rounding into shape as the season starts?

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, normally I take a lot of time off during the off-season. But this year, because I -- I mean, I was lucky, I was world No. 1 the whole winter, and I really wanted to keep up my good playing, so I practiced a little bit more than normal.

I came out and played well in the Bahamas and so that really gave me a lot of confidence, and it reminds me about how well I was playing at the end of the year last year. I'm trying to keep up the same feeling, same condition. I did well last week, also. I think I was a little bit off but I think today and tomorrow, I'm going to focus more.

CHRISTINA LANCE: You mention your 16th consecutive week at world No. 1, and Lexi has drawn very close at world No. 2. We know it's a great honor to be world No. 1, but do you think about that ever, the back and forth of being world No. 1.

SHANSHAN FENG: Well, Lexi could have been No. 1 if she made that putt at CME. Then I would only be like one week up top. But now, I'm lucky enough to stay 16 weeks on top, and including my eight weeks for free because I didn't do anything, I was just eating and sleeping and I was world No. 1.

I think I actually had a similar position with Inbee three years ago, and I asked her, how does it feel being world No. 1, like if I can get to world No. 1, I will retire.

After I got to world No. 1, both Inbee -- they asked me, like you could retire. I'm like, maybe not. I changed my plan.

So now I think I just want to relax and believe in myself that I can still play well, even though I'm getting older. I'm 28 instead of 18, but I think my golf game has improved a lot, too. So I just have to trust myself and try to enjoy every week.

Q. You say you practiced more than usual this winter. The Koreans give us an idea of what practice is -- can you give us, what is your idea of practicing hard?
SHANSHAN FENG: Sorry, I didn't hear you.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Can you repeat the question, please?

Q. You say you practiced harder this year, over the winter. What is hard practice for you, because Koreans, they practice sort of, what, twice what we're used to. I don't know what to expect your answer to be.
SHANSHAN FENG: Well, I cheat. A lot of people on the Tour, they say I don't practice at all. That's not true. I do practice, but I practice smart. I don't spend like hours and hours on the course or on the ranges, but when I'm practicing, I'm really focusing on the quality of practice. So as long as I get confidence from the practice, and I believe that I can do whatever I control on the course, that's good.

For me, what I meant, harder, was like I started to practice a little bit earlier. Like normally, I have like two months off in the winter, and I only start practicing maybe on the second week. So like two weeks before the first tournament. But this time I started like one week earlier, so three weeks. That's what I meant, harder (laughing). Well, for me it is harder.

Q. Do you reckon you've saved yourself a lot of injuries by not practicing too hard?
SHANSHAN FENG: I would say so, because if you look at my results, I mean, I'm pretty consistent, and I don't have much injuries yet -- well, yet. Hopefully no more.

I think, you know, I'm 28, I'm not 18 anymore, so I can't stay out there going ten hours a day. If I do that, then by the time I get to the weekend, then I will shoot like maybe in the 90s I think.

Q. Can you just talk a bit about your mental approach and your confidence, now that you're world No. 1, it is still just a number and you still have to go out there with 60 other golfers, but what does that do for coming into a tournament that you are the best player in the world?
SHANSHAN FENG: Well, I think there are so many strong players out there on our tour, and I was just lucky enough to just recently have been playing a little better than the others. I would say like everybody has got a chance every week, and including myself.

What I normally do is go into a tournament and I'll set a goal that makes me feel like maybe a little bit of pressure but more like comfortably reaching my goal.

So like this week, maybe I'll say Top-10, Top-10 will make me happy. Not really thinking about anything, winning or not, but if I have a chance to win, of course I'll go for it. But I think the ranking thing, if you play well every week, your ranking is going to be high. Being the world No. 1 was my goal last year. So I actually met my goals and it was a very happy ending last year.

I'm not really focusing on that No. 1 thing. I just want to keep my good golf playing going.

Q. You talked last year, world No. 1 was your goal. Now that you've achieved it, what are your goals for this year?
SHANSHAN FENG: This year, actually I think I really, really, really want to win a major because I think to be able to qualify for the world Hall of Fame, I still need to win one more major. So I think that's one of my goals.

And actually, I just came up with my second goal of this year because I want to make a hole-in-one in a tournament because I've never made a hole-in-one in a tournament, never. I've made four hole-in-ones on hard holes in the Pro-Ams but none in a tournament. It's like always missing, just on the edges, but never went in. So I think it will be great if I can make a hole-in-one this year.

CHRISTINA LANCE: What would that celebration be like? Big handbag?

SHANSHAN FENG: Handbag? Well, I don't know. But I really like that, there's like an artist store at the hotel, and one picture -- maybe if I make one this week, maybe I'll take one home.

CHRISTINA LANCE: Good luck. Hope you get that hole-in-one.

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