Politics not in play for golfer from China

At times it seems like women’s golf is dominated by South Koreans. That perception is amplified annually here at Ko Olina Golf Club, which hosts the LPGA’s Lotte Championship. In its first five years, three of the winners are of Korean birth and/or descent.

But, especially these days, nationality can be a very different thing than heritage. All five winners played under different flags: Ai Miyazato (Japan, 2012), Suzann Pettersen (Norway, 2013), Michelle Wie (United States, 2014), Sei Young Kim (South Korea, 2015) and MinJee Lee (Australia, 2016).

After Wednesday’s first round, several players were in position to try to make it a sixth champion from a sixth different country.

For Simin Feng to join that group, she needs another round at least as good as her 3-under par 69 that had her tied for 17th. Considering where she is from, it’s interesting and perhaps remarkable that she’s playing here this week at all.

Feng and three other players from China — Shanshan Feng (no relation), Xi Yu Lin, and Jing Yan — all played in this tournament in 2015 and 2016. Lin also played in 2014 and Shanshan Feng all five years.

But Shanshan Feng is not in this year’s field.

Some say she skipped this tournament on the advice of their government because of a political rift between China and South Korea. It involves a missile defense system that led to a boycott by China of Lotte.

Lotte is a huge conglomerate that was established in Tokyo in 1948 and expanded to Seoul in 1967.

According to reports, the missile defense system would be built by the United States, on property owned by Lotte.

The absence of Shanshan Feng is especially notable since she won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics and, at No. 6, is the highest-rated Chinese player in the world rankings.

“I’m a player,” she told GolfChannel.com. “I don’t want to get involved in the politics. I’m not playing, but that’s because of how I wanted to make my schedule.”

It’s common for some top players to skip the LPGA’s Hawaii stop, since it gives them an additional week of rest after the first major of the season, the ANA Inspiration. All four Chinese played there: Shanshan Feng finished tied for 21st, Simin Feng was 47th. Yan was tied for 56th and Lin missed the cut.

Simin Feng said the players were “not pressured at all” to bypass Lotte.

“I’m really for my country and with the politics nowadays, both countries are not at a very good situation.” Feng said in a Reuters article last week. “No one really seriously came up to us and said, ‘you really shouldn’t play.’”

“We just think we shouldn’t get involved in politics, and we just have to make the best decisions we can,” Simin Feng told Golf.Channel.com.

Inbee Park, a Hall of Famer from South Korea, said she wished sports were not affected by politics. She also noted that since some of the Chinese golfers are playing here this week it shows they do have a choice.

“I think it just kind of depends on their own personalities,” Park said. “A golf tournament is a golf tournament.”

Does she buy that players skip Hawaii because of the schedule?

“That’s really the main reason,” Park said.

Regardless, it took courage for the Chinese to choose to play in this tournament this week.

If she actually is worried about repercussions from the Chinese government it didn’t show in her score Wednesday. The 69 is her first round under 70 here after missing the cut in 2015 and shooting 1-over 73-72-73-71-289 to tie for 52nd last year.

However she performs this week, her presence and that of her two countrywomen at the Lotte Championship is a victory for sports over politics.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quickreads