NAPLES, Fla. – Ariya Jutanugarn was unable to accept the CME Globe trophy when it was first being presented to her, needing both hands to hold a big plastic cube stuffed with $1 million in cash.

That’s a great way to end a season.

Jutanugarn’s breakout year ended with a haul of prizes Sunday at the CME Group Tour Championship- the LPGA Tour’s player of the year award, the money title and the season-long Race to CME Globe points competition that comes with a $1 million bonus.

A winner of five tournaments in a year that started slowly with a major meltdown in the California desert and turned around with her winning three consecutive starts in May, Jutanugarn held off Lydia Ko for all three of those trophies.

“I never expected like that much,” Jutanugarn said. “I just really wanted to win my first tournament this year.”

In Gee Chun made a 10-footer for birdie on the final hole to win the scoring title by the slimmest of margins, making her the first player since Nancy Lopez in 1978 to win both the Vare Trophy and rookie of the year in the same season. If Chun’s final putt had not fallen, Ko would have won the Vare for the first time.

“It’s still been a very cool season for me,” said Ko, the world’s No. 1 player, who wrapped Jutanugarn in a big hug when their rounds were complete before heading off to sign dozens of autographs.

Combined, Ko and Chun took more than 11,500 swings over 166 rounds – and the scoring title came down to one putt.

“It was big pressure for me,” Chun said. “I just tried to enjoy my last putt. … It was a big honour for me, to have my name next to legends.”

Add her to the list of young stars on the LPGA Tour. She’s 22, Jutanugarn turns 21 later this week and Ko doesn’t even turn 20 until early next year.

Add Charley Hull to that list as well. She’s a tournament winner now.

Another 20-year-old – youth is most definitely served in this era of women’s golf – Hull looked like a savvy veteran as she stalked what would become her first win. Hull finished two shots ahead of So Yeon Ryu, that margin coming after they had a two-shot swing at the 17th. Ryu’s approach came to rest along a 3-foot face of a bunker, forcing her to play off to the side and wind up settling for bogey.

Hull made birdie there, then coolly two-putted on the 18th to prevail. She shot 66-66 in a bogey-free weekend, with 12 birdies and 24 pars in her final 36 holes of the season.

“I was pretty calm,” Hull said. “I went on the golf course and tried not to think about golf.”

There were tournaments within the tournament, with many things decided in the season’s final minutes. Player of the year was settled first, when it became evident that Ko – who needed a win and nothing less to take that title – was not going to catch Hull. The Race to CME Globe came next, with this being the first time in that award’s three-year history that it wouldn’t go to Ko.

The scoring title then came down to Ko’s and Chun’s final putts, and about a half-hour later, Hull finished off the week and the season by making her first win the tour championship.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling,” Hull said. “Hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”

Hull finished at 19-under 269. So Yeon Ryu (67) was second, Jennifer Song (68) followed at 15 under, and Jutanugarn (69) was 14 under with Mo Martin (68) and Beatriz Recari (68). Chun (70) was seventh at 13 under.

NAPLES, Fla. – Lydia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn will settle the LPGA Tour’s biggest awards and prizes Sunday at Tiburon. They’re chasing Charley Hull in the CME Group Tour Championship.

“I think it’s going to be a very interesting Sunday,” Ko said Saturday after dropping into a tie for fourth in the season finale.

Ko needs a victory to top Jutanugarn in the player of the year race, and also would take the season points title and $1 million CME Globe bonus with a win. Ko also is fighting Jutanugarn for the money title and Chun for the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.

“It’s simple: I got win to get it.” Ko said. “That’s why no matter what position I am, I’m the chaser. So, I think that almost puts less pressure on me, where I’m not thinking about where I am exactly. I’m trying to make as many birdies as I can and give myself those opportunities.”

Hull birdied all four par-5 holes in a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Brittany Lincicome (66) and So Yeon Ryu (69) and two-stroke advantage over Ko (73), Jutanugarn (65), Chun (68), Jennifer Song (66) and Lizette Salas (67).

“Just kind of kept in the zone,” Hull said. “I felt like I hit it pretty decent, better than I did yesterday. I holed a few putts and got up-and-down when I needed to. … I’m happy with my score and looking forward to tomorrow.”

The 20-year-old Hull, from England, had a 13-under 203 total. She’s winless on the tour.

“It was scoreable out there,” Hull said. “I don’t understand why everyone has dropped back. Obviously, it is tricky little golf course on some shots, like 18. You’ve got a good finishing hole.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 34th at 3 under after a 69. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp had a 72 and was tied for 47th at 1 over.

The top-ranked Ko began the day with a three-shot lead after shooting a 63 on Friday.

“I just got to stay patient.” The 19-year-old New Zealander said. “I don’t think like I did something horribly or drastically different. Probably those little things. If you tug it a bit on a right-to-left wind, for example, on the 18th hole, it’s going to look like much more of that draw or pull.”

Jutanugarn had seven birdies in a bogey-free round.

“I just try to focus shot by shot, not think about outcome and not think about like too much future,” Jutanugarn said. “I’m ready to have fun and be happy on the course. I don’t know I can win or not, but I’m going to do my best.”

The 20-year-old Thai star leads the tour with five victories, one more than Ko.

“This year is like great for me,” Jutanugarn said. “I know tomorrow going to be a lot of pressure, but I’m just going to do my best and whatever going to happen I still love my year this year.”

First-round leader Shanshan Feng was tied for 12th at 8 under after a 69. The Chinese star is coming off consecutive victories in Malaysia and Japan.

NAPLES, Fla. – Lydia Ko shot a tournament-record 10-under 62 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead in the CME Group Tour Championship, putting the top-ranked New Zealander in position to win the player of the year award with a victory Sunday.

Ko birdied four of the first six holes and had seven birdies and a bogey on the back nine to get to 12-under 132 in the season finale. Ryann O’Toole (67) and So Yeon Ryu (68) were tied for second, and Sei Young Kim (68) and Beatriz Recari (68) followed at 8 under.

“Going into today definitely my goal wasn’t the 62,” said Ko, the 2014 winner at Tiburon Golf Club. “The first three holes made great birdies. I was going in with really good momentum, and I was able to carry that for pretty much the rest of my round. I think I was putting good, so if I was within a distance that I felt comfortable I felt like, ‘Hey, I could hole this.”’

Ko needs a victory to top Ariya Jutanugarn in the player of the year race, and also would take the season points title and $1 million bonus with a win. The points in the CME Globe standings were reset for the finale, so Ko, Jutanugarn and Brooke Henderson all control their destinies.

“I think the big key mindset for me is that I’ve been not really thinking about everything that could happen,” Ko said. “For me to win player the year I know I need to win this championship. A lot of things come with that. So to me, it’s more important to finish off my season strong. I think that way I don’t feel more pressure about everything that’s going on.”

Ko is fighting Jutanugarn for the money title and In Gee Chun for the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average. Jutanugarn, the tour victory leader with five, was tied for 19th at 4 under after a 68.

“I started to make some putts,” Jutanugarn said. “Today was pretty good day for me.”

Chun (69) was tied for sixth at 7 under, and Henderson (72) was tied for 38th at even par.

The 62 matched Ko’s lowest score of the season, shot in the second round of her Walmart NW Arkansas victory in June. She has four victories this year.

“Going into today, I just wanted to focus on my game,” Ko said. “I knew I had a great pairing Eun Hee (Ji) and Mi Hyang (Lee). Mi Hyang said, ‘Hey, whenever you play with us you seem to play well.’ Maybe it’s the good vibes I got from them. Obviously, it’s a great round. It’s a better position, even better than I could have imagined. Even on the weekend I just got to focus and keep playing great.”

Ko is using Gary Matthews as her caddie for the second straight event. She fired Jason Hamilton – now with Ha Na Jang – and used Sargunan Suntharaj in Malaysia, then teamed with Matthews in Japan.

She worked with instructor David Leadbetter on the range late Thursday.

“It was just more about my iron play,” Ko said. “I hit my drives really well yesterday. My irons were kind of on and off. Not that many where I was looking for birdies. So, it was just very simple. Just in the takeaway where I wasn’t going too out. It’s something that you normally do, but especially when you’re hitting it good, it’s more about the basics and the little things.”

O’Toole had six birdies and a bogey.

“I think usually my drives are my strong point,” O’Toole said. “Right now I’m hitting these little cuts that aren’t going as far as they could. Definitely could give me shorter irons in. But I’m striking my irons well, putting myself in position.”

Ryu earned a spot in the final group Saturday with friend Ko.

“It’s think it’s definitely going to be really fun to competing with world No. 1 player,” Ryu said. “She is not only great player, she’s really great person. … She loves food like me, so we just talk a lot of thing about food when we are on the golf course.”

First-round leader Shanshan Feng followed her opening 66 with a 73 to drop into a tie for 16th at 5 under. The Chinese star is coming off consecutive victories in Malaysia and Japan.

NAPLES, Fla. – Shanshan Feng was right back on top of an LPGA Tour leaderboard Thursday, shooting a 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead over So Yeon Ryu and Charley Hull after the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship.

Coming off consecutive victories in Malaysia and Japan, Feng is one of nine players who entered the season finale with a chance to win the Race to the CME Globe season title and $1 million bonus. The Chinese star won in 2013 at Tiburon Golf Club.

“Somehow, the course is playing longer compared to three years ago,” Feng said. “I don’t know, maybe because I’m getting older I’m hitting shorter.”

Ha Na Jang, Sei Young Kim, In Gee Chun, Amy Yang, Lizette Salas, Beatriz Recari, Ryann O’Toole and Mo Martin all shot 68.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko had a 70. She needs a win this week to secure player of the year honours,

Ariya Jutanugarn and Smiths Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson, who like Ko are guaranteed the points crown if they prevail this week, each shot 72.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was 3 under.

Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last seven events. She started the run with the Olympic bronze medal in Rio, tied for fourth at Evian in France, opened the Asia trip at home in China with a fourth-place tie, was second in Taiwan and tied for third in South Korea before winning in Malaysia and Japan. She took last week off, practicing only three days in Orlando.

“I think after the Asian wave, we’re just so tired. I think I needed the rest,” Feng said. “I feel actually pretty fresh coming into this week. … I’ve been playing well, so just wanted to keep up with the good playing.”

Feng birdied four of the last six holes – the par-4 13th, par-5 14th, par-3 16th and par-5 17th – in her bogey-free round. She made a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-5 first hole and also birdied the par-3 eighth.

Ryu won the last of her three LPGA Tour titles in 2014.

“What I learned through this year, having like swing change this year, sometimes I just think about swing too much,” Ryu said. “So what I learned through that is I just rather more focus to like imagination. Just keep imagine how the ball is going to fly and what shot I am going to hit instead of where is my hand going to be, my wrist.”

Hull birdied the final four holes on the front nine and also birdied the 14th. She also was off last week after being delayed getting out of Japan.

“I was only home for four days,” the 20-year-old English player said. “I didn’t touch a golf club. Hung out with my friends. I think I only touched a golf club once or twice last week.”

Carlota Ciganda had a 75. She won her first LPGA Tour title last month in South Korea and won the event in Mexico City on Sunday.

Ko and Jutanugarn are fighting for the big year-end honours.

Only a win would be enough to give Ko her second straight player-of-the-year award; any other result, and that title goes to Jutanugarn. They came in separated by $17,305 in the money standings, and Ko (69.611) enters with a minuscule edge over Chun (69.632) for the Vare Trophy presented to the player with the lowest scoring average.

The points in the CME Globe standings reset for the finale, so Jutanugarn, Ko and Henderson all truly control their destinies when it comes to the $1 million bonus that goes to the points champion.

MEXICO CITY – Carlota Ciganda rallied to win the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational on Sunday for her second LPGA Tour victory in four starts.

The 26-year-old Spaniard shot a 4-under 68 at Club de Golf Mexico for a two-stroke victory over six players. She played the four par-5 holes in 5 under, making an eagle on No. 2 and birdies on 6, 11 and 17.

Ciganda won the LPGA KEB-Hana Bank Championship a month ago in South Korea for her first tour title. The former Arizona State player has five straight top-10 finishes.

“I am very happy to be here and to get my second victory,” Ciganda said. “It’s wonderful to play here in Mexico. I honestly don’t have any words. I love the golf course, the people, it’s an honour to be here. I’ve been playing really good all year long and to end this year with these two victories gives me a lot of confidence, I am very happy.”

Ciganda won a year after finishing second Inbee Park on the tree-lined course.

“Last year, I was close,” Ciganda said. “It was a shame not being able to win but it was still a good last day, so I had really good memories. Last week, I was back home just resting because I wanted to play here and to do so well, so I am really happy and thrilled that I was able to win.”

Third-round leader Austin Ernst had a 71 to drop into a tie for second with Angela Stanford (69), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (67), Karine Icher (69) and Sarah Jane Smith (70).

“Right now, disappointed. I just didn’t play well enough today to get it done,” Ernst said. “Carlota played really good, especially early. I am just kind of frustrated with how I finished.”

Stanford won the 2008 event in Guadalajara.

“It was a good day,” Stanford said. “It’s hard to shoot 3 under on Sunday and be upset, but I had two three-putts. The one on 11 would probably haunt me for a while, but I hit the ball really well and gave myself a lot of chances and I was never in a really bad spot, so to be in contention and have a day like that is pretty encouraging.”

Mexican amateur Maria Fassi closed with a 73 to tie for 15th at 5 under. She’s a freshman at the University of Arkansas. Gaby Lopez also was 5 under after a 73 on her home course.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7, was 20th at 4 under after a 71. Michelle Wie (72) was 24th at 1 under after a 72. The 2009 winner in Guadalajara, she played on a sponsor invite after failing to qualify for the 30-player event.

Tournament host Ochoa won 27 LPGA Tour titles. The Mexican star retired in 2010. She will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame next year.

MEXICO CITY – Austin Ernst shot her second straight 5-under 67 on Saturday to take the third-round lead in the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

Ernst had her second straight bogey-free round at Club de Golf Mexico after opening with a 72.

“I have been hitting my driver pretty well, which I get a lot of looks at birdie,” Ernst said. “I have had a lot of good looks this week so even when I am not making everything, like today, I still made five birdies. So, I have just made it very easy when I haven’t been sure about myself, missing greens and I haven’t had many hard putts for par.”

The 24-year-old American won the 2014 Portland Classic for her lone LPGA Tour title.

She’s coming off a two-week break.

“Everything I’ve been working in the last two weeks is definitely turning out how I wanted, so it is nice to see it,” Ernst said.

At 10-under 206, she had a one-stroke lead. Second-round leader Sarah Jane Smith of Australia had a 72 to drop into a tie for second with Spain’s Carola Ciganda (68).

“I was pretty nervous most of the day,” Smith said. “It was a position I’ve never been in before. I wouldn’t say I handle it well, but I scrambled well, so that should give me some confidence for tomorrow.”

Ciganda won her first LPGA Tour title last month in South Korea.

“It’s tough if you come from Asia, but I was in Spain for a week just resting,” Ciganda said. “There is a little bit of jet lag, but I think it is better to come from Spain rather than from Asia, which is like 12 or 13 hours. I feel good, I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Angela Stanford, the winner of the inaugural event in 2008 at Guadalajara Country Club, had a 69 to match Karine Icher (70) and Mi Jung Hur (71) at 8 under.

Mexican amateur Maria Fassi had a 65 to get to 6 under. She’s a freshman at the University of Arkansas. Gaby Lopez also was 6 under after a 73 on her home course.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7, was 4 under after a 68.

Michelle Wie was tied for 20th at 1 under after a 74. The 2009 winner in Guadalajara, she’s playing on a sponsor invite after failing to qualify for the 30-player event.

Tournament host Ochoa won 27 LPGA Tour titles. The Mexican star retired in 2010. She will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame next year.

It is with great sadness that Golf Canada, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and the entire golf community mourns the loss of Dawn Coe-Jones who passed away on November 12, 2016 at the age of 56.

Born October 19, 1960 in Campbell River, B.C. and raised in Lake Cowichan, B.C., Coe-Jones was diagnosed with bone cancer (sarcoma) earlier this year. Following months of aggressive treatment, she passed away peacefully in hospice near her home in Tampa, FL surrounded by family and friends.

Dawn Coe-Jones is survived by her husband Jimmy, son Jimmy Jr. brothers Mark and John Coe, the extended Coe and Jones families and countless friends across the Canadian and international golf community.

Coe-Jones is one of Canada’s most accomplished golfers as an amateur as well as during a distinguished career on the LPGA Tour.

Success as an amateur included back to back victories at the BC Junior Girls Championship in 1978 and 1979. Back to back victories at the BC Women’s Amateur would follow in 1982 and 1983 and later that year, she would go on to capture the 1983 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

An NCAA All-American at Lamar University, Coe-Jones qualified for the LPGA Tour in 1984.

Over a 24-year career on the LPGA Tour (1984-2008), Coe-Jones had three official LPGA Tour wins—the 1992 Women’s Kemper Open, 1994 LPGA Palm Beach Classic and the 1995 Tournament of Champions. She would also win the 1992 Pizza-La LPGA Match Play Championship during a career in which she had 44 top-10 finishes and earned more than $3.3 million in prize money.

Coe-Jones also competed in 24 events on the LPGA Legends Tour, amassing nine top-10 finishes in 24 events played.

Internationally, she represented Canada on the 1983 Canadian Commonwealth Team and at the 2005 World Cup. She also competed in the Handa Cup (representing the world team) on eight occasions (2006-2012, 2014).

She also joined with fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Dave Barr in winning the Canadian Airlines International Mixed Team Championship in 1989 and 1990.

Coe-Jones competed in the Canadian Women’s Open 24 times and had seven top-10 finishes—T10 in 1989; T6 in 1991; 3^rd in 1993; T7 in 1994; T4 in 1998; 4^th in 1999; and T5 in 2004.  She was low Canadian (or tied) on 13 occasions and her $326,554 in earnings are most by a Canadian playing in the National Women’s Open Championship.

She received the Score Award for Outstanding Canadian Female Amateur in 1983 and was an eight-time recipient of the Score Award for Outstanding Canadian Female Professional (1987-90, 1992-95).

Coe-Jones’ distinguished career was acknowledged in 2001 with induction into the British Columbia Golf Hall Fame and in 2003 with induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Statement from Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Sandra Post:

“Dawn was a great competitor and role model for over 25 years on the LPGA Tour. Her happy and positive attitude towards life will be missed by all that knew her.”

Statement from Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons:

“On behalf of the entire golf community we are deeply saddened by the passing of Dawn Coe-Jones. Dawn was a tenacious competitor, a mentor and friend to so many of her peers and a proud ambassador for Canadian golf throughout her distinguished career. As we mourn her passing and send our most sincere condolences to family and friends, the golf and sport community come together in celebrating her outstanding legacy.”

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, November 19 in Tampa, FL.

NOTE TO MEDIA – photos of Dawn Coe-Joes are available to download here.

MEXICO CITY – Sarah Jane Smith shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead in the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

The Australian birdied four of the first seven holes, dropped a stroke on the par-4 eighth and birdied the par-3 14th. Winless on the LPGA Tour, she had a 9-under 135 total at Club de Golf Mexico.

“I feel a little bit nervous to be honest. I have never been in this position before,” Smith said. “So, even a couple times today, I was a little nervous, but I was happy with the way that I handled it. Hopefully, I can just keep doing what I have been doing and see what happens.”

Mexico’s Gaby Lopez had a 65 on her home course to match South Korea’s Mi Jung Hur (66) and Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe (67) at 7 under in the 30-player event. Lopez eagled the par-5 second hole, hitting to 2 feet from 195 yards.

“It is one of those numbers when you know you have the number perfect, is just a matter of the swing, adjusting your swing,” Lopez said.

South Korea’s Chella Choi and France’s Karine Icher each shot their second straight 69 to get to 6 under.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, tied for the lead with Smith after a first-round 67, had a 72 to drop into a tie for seventh with 2008 winner Angela Stanford (68), Austin Ernst (67) and Jing Yan (67).

Michelle Wie was tied for 13th at 3 under after a 71. The 2009 winner in Guadalajara, she’s playing on a sponsor invite after failing to qualify.

Mexican amateur Maria Fassi, tied for third after an opening 69, had a 76 to fall into a tie for 22nd at 1 over. She’s a freshman at the University of Arkansas.

Brooke Henderson, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7 in the world, also was 1 over. The Canadian shot 71. No. 14 Anna Nordqvist was 3 over after a 72.

MEXICO CITY – Carlota Ciganda birdied three of the last six holes Thursday for a 5-under 67 and a share of the lead with playing partner Sarah Jane Smith in the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

Ciganda had a bogey-free opening round at Club de Golf Mexico.

“I really like this course,” Ciganda said. “I really like it because is really similar to my home course in Spain.”

The former Arizona State player won last month in South Korea for her first LPGA Tour title.

“I was home last week and I played four tournaments in Asia, so it was really nice to be home with my family,” Ciganda said. “I didn’t practice at all. It was just resting and having fun, going out for dinner with friends. And I feel very mentally refreshed, because in Asia I was a little bit tired at the end. It is important how to manage all the tournaments and all the weeks you want to play.”

Smith played the back nine in 5-under 31 after bogeying Nos. 8 and 9 to make the turn at even par. The Australian is winless on the LPGA Tour.

“It makes a difference when you see it,” Smith said about playing alongside Ciganda. “I love playing with her, she is so nice and we always have fun, so it absolutely makes a difference.”

Mexican amateur Maria Fassi, a freshman at the University of Arkansas playing on a sponsor invite, was two strokes back at 69 along with South Korea’s Chella Choi and France’s Karine Icher.

“I was feeling really good,” Fassi said. “I worked really hard on preparing for this tournament and on the first tee when they said my name I was nervous, I am not going to lie, but after I hit the fairway on the first tee, I was like, ‘OK you got it, just enjoy your round.’ And that’s what I did. … I was really solid off the tee. I gave myself a lot of opportunities to be a little bit more aggressive on my second shots.”

Michelle Wie opened with a 70. The 2009 winner in Guadalajara, she’s also playing on a sponsor invite after failing to qualify for the 30-player event.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7 in the world, had a double bogey in a 74. No. 14 Anna Nordqvist also struggled, making a double bogey in a 75.

IBARAKI, Japan – Shanshan Feng needed every bit of the three-stroke lead she took to final hole Sunday at chilly Taiheiyo Club to finish off her second straight LPGA Tour victory.

The 27-year-old Chinese star closed with a double-bogey 6 to beat Ha Na Jang by a stroke in the TOTO Japan Classic, the last of six straight events in Asia. Feng closed with a 2-under 70 for a 13-under 203 total, the double bogey her only dropped shots since the fourth hole Friday.

She knew she had a three-stroke lead after birdieing the par-5 17th, not that she wanted to know.

“I have a habit where I don’t look at leaderboards when I play, but I accidentally saw the board when I was on the 17th green,” said Feng, the winner last week in steamy Malaysia.

She drove to the left and needed two more shots to reach the green.

“I thought easy two-putt, but the first putt, I just hit it way too hard,” Feng said. “The second putt, I missed and left myself a 3-footer and said, ‘It’s time to make this putt.’ I didn’t want to lose by making a triple bogey on the last.”

The putt – really only about half the length that Feng recounted – fell for her sixth LPGA Tour victory.

Projected to jump from eighth to sixth in the world ranking, Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last seven events. She started the run with the Olympic bronze medal in Rio, tied for fourth at Evian in France, opened the Asia trip at home in China with a fourth-place tie, was second behind Jang in Taiwan and tied for third in South Korea.

“Coming into this week I had a lot of confidence and I’m feeling really comfortable,” Feng said. “I knew that I would have a chance because I’ve always liked the Japanese courses that I’ve played and I’ve played well in Japan.”

She broke through at Taiheiyo after losing a playoff to Momoko Ueda in the 2011 event at Kintetsu Kashikojima, the tournament venue from 2006 to last year.

Playing two groups ahead of Feng, Jang birdied 16 and 17 in her third 68. The South Korean player has three victories this year, beating Feng by a stroke in Taiwan.

“Every day, I had strong front nine, but was a little tired on the back nine,” Jang said. “Just tried to be patient every hole. My target was 12-under par this week and I hit my target perfect.”

A stroke ahead after parring the first eight holes, Feng birdied the next three to open a four-shot lead. She made putts from 8 feet on the par-5 ninth, 25 feet on the par-4 10th and 6 feet on the par-4 11th.

“I wasn’t actually striking the ball very well and then I didn’t give myself many birdie chances,” Feng said. “Putting was OK and then after the eighth hole I said to the others in my group, ‘We are the last group, so we need to start making birdies.’ Then, the ninth hole I had a very good chance and made it and then 10th and 11th were great birdies.”

She earned $225,000, giving her $1,062,204 in her last six tour starts. She’s sixth on the money list with $1,416,301 after making $354,097 in her first 15 events.

Feng shot a tournament-best 64 on Saturday to take one-stroke lead over second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn into the final round.

Jutanugarn missed a chance to wrap up the LPGA Tour player of the year award with a victory, shooting a 74 to drop into a tie for 10th at 8 under. The Thai star leads the tour with five victories and also tops the money list.

“Today was just not a good day,” Jutanugarn said. “I missed some tee shots and my putting was so bad.”

The top-ranked Lydia Ko, 14 points behind Jutanugarn in the player of the year race, had a 69 to tie for 43rd at 2 under. Ko and Jutanugarn are skipping the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico and will close the season in two weeks in Florida at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Japan’s Kotone Hori (68) tied for third at 10 under with defending champion Sun-Ju Ahn (70), So Yeon Ryu (68) and Soo-Yun Kang (71). Suzann Pettersen had a 72 in the final group to finish at 9 under.

Lexi Thompson shot a 68 to tie for 14th at 7 under. U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Stacy Lewis tied for 31st at 4 under after a 72. The 2012 champion is winless in 62 starts since June 2014.