Feng seizes early lead at Lotte Championship

LOS ANGELES, California: World No. 1 Feng Shanshan birdied three of her final five holes to grab a one stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship on Wednesday.

China’s Feng fired a five-under 67 in windy conditions at the Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei, Hawaii. Canada’s Brooke Henderson, Sweden’s Martina Edberg and Kang Hae-Ji of South Korea are tied for second at four-under 68.

After making her only bogey of the round on the first hole, Feng drained six birdies in the final 17 holes.Feng has finished in the top 30 in all five of her starts this year, including two top 10 finishes. She said a lot of hard work went into getting to number one in the world.

Lizette Salas, who lost a playoff here in 2013, had a chance to join the other three in second place but made bogey on her final hole. She is tied for fifth at three-under 69 in a large group that also includes Canada’s Alena Sharp.

Sharp and fellow Canadians Brooke Henderson, Anne-Catherine Tanguay and Maude-Aimee Leblanc wore green and gold ribbons in memory of those killed in the Saskatchewan bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team.

Defending champion Cristie Kerr shot 71. She played with Hawaii-native Michelle Wie, who double-bogeyed her 15th hole to finish at even par 72.