PITTSFORD, New York, June 10, 2012 (AFP) - The 22-year-old from Beijing, who began golfing at age 10 and came to America as a teen before joining the LPGA in 2008, took her first career LPGA triumph by finishing 72 holes at Locust Hill Country Club on six-under 282.
"I still can't believe that I won a major. It just feels so good," Feng said. "I'm just so excited right now. I did it."
Japan's Mika Miyazato, Norway's Suzann Pettersen, American Stacy Lewis and South Korean Eun-Hee Ji shared second on 284.
World No. 10 Feng, whose victory was worth $375,000, fired the low round of the week on the last day.
"My goal for the year was to win on the LPGA Tour and a top-10 in a major. I did them at one time," Feng said.
Feng birdied the par-4 second and sixth holes and added another at the par-5 eighth. As her rivals stumbled, Feng birdied the par-14 12th and reached the 16th tee with a two-stroke edge on the field.
Miyazato sank a 10-foot birdie putt at 17th hole to pull within one stroke of Feng and sank a six-foot par putt at 18, but needed a stumble from Feng that never came.
Feng parred the 16th and sank an eight-footer birdie putt at the par-5 17th, stretching her advantage to two strokes at the 18th tee.
Feng sank a tricky, breaking four-foot downhill putt for par at the 18th to claim the clubhouse lead, then watched as a handful of rivals needing eagles and birdies to force a playoff failed to match her.
In a strong amateur career in China, Feng won nine titles, including the China Women's Amateur title from 2004 through 2006.
Feng shared the runner-up spot in February's HSBC Women's Champions event in Singapore to match her best LPGA result to that point, runner-up efforts in last year's Mizuno Classic and the 2008 Bell Micro LPGA Classic.
"This means a lot for me," Feng said. "This is my fifth year on the tour. I had no winning. I was down. I was thinking, 'Could I win again?' Now I know I can win again."
Pettersen, who had shared the lead with Feng on the back nine, took bogeys at the par-4 13th and 14th holes to stumble off the pace and not even a birdie at the 17th could put her back in the hunt.