Ladies European Tour: China's Shanshan Feng opens seven-shot lead on home soil

World No 5 Shanshan Feng will take a seven-stroke lead into the final round of the Buick Championship in Shanghai.

The 25-year-old from China has posted rounds of 65, 67 and 69 at Qizhong Garden Golf Club and, with 18 holes remaining on Sunday, her nearest challengers are Marianne Skarpnord of Norway and Korean Hyeon Seo Kang.

Feng fired five birdies in her three-under-par round, while suffering bogeys at the first and last holes.

Skarpnord and Kang also carded 69s, with Dane Nicole Broch Larsen alone in fourth spot after a 65.

Young English player Charley Hull, last year’s European Order of Merit winner, is tied-for-fifth following a 67.

For the final 36 holes, the tournament also includes a pro-am team event, involving the leading 50 players who survived the cut.

And Feng admitted: “At the beginning I was a little bit nervous. It was my first time playing with amateurs in the same group in a professional tournament, so that was fun.

Ladies European Tour Golf

“After a few holes I thought my amateur partner did really well, because he saved me maybe two shots on the first three holes.

“I started to be more relaxed and make birdies. The bogey on the last hole was a little sad but I still did pretty well overall.”

As for Hull, she stressed: “I played a lot better because I hit more fairways with my driver so it was easier for me to hole putts because there was less pressure on myself.

“I enjoyed the format, because it was nice and not too intense playing with an amateur, so that was fun.”

Coverage of the final round of the Buick Championship starts Sunday at 6am on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.