'Extreme Heat' To Blame For Condition Of Greens At LPGA Shanghai Event
Pictures from the LPGA event in Shanghai appeared to show the greens looking a bit ragged following some "extreme heat" in the build-up


The LPGA Tour's Asian swing hasn't had the smoothest of starts thanks to extreme weather affecting the condition of the greens at Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai.
The Buick LPGA Shanghai event kicks off over a month in the Far East for the top stars in the women's game, with five tournaments being played across China, Korea, Kuala Lumpur and Japan.
No players have officially commented on the putting surfaces in Shanghai, but Leona Maguire did post two pictures to her Instagram story to illustrate the issue.
Maguire posted a regular photo of the course with a close-up of one of the greens and the line “Instagram vs. reality” and a laughing emoji.
Michelle Wie's former caddie Matthew Galloway also posted a picture of one of the greens to X, which did not put them in a flattering light.
"Safe to say you can throw the putting stats out the window this week in Shanghai for the LPGA players," he wrote alongside the photo.
The LPGA has commented on the greens, telling Golf Digest: “We are aware of the course conditions at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
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"The golf course superintendent, tournament team and the LPGA rules officials have worked diligently against extreme heat conditions this season in preparation for this week's event.
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"We will continue to monitor the situation and care for the course appropriately throughout the week.”
And it has to be said, although the optics aren't great the players don't seem to have too many troubles on the greens judging by the scoring in Shanghai
As there were 57 players under par after the first round, 26 of those shooting sub-70 rounds and Arpichaya Yubol carding an impressive 64.
The likes of Jenny Shin, Minjee Lee and Jeeno Thitikul all shot 65 while Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Sarah Schmelzel both signed for 66s.
Maguire, ironically, did not do so well as she finished her round with a level-par 72 for the day.
Safe to say you can throw the putting stats out the window this week in Shanghai for the LPGA players pic.twitter.com/X801EwLvQnOctober 8, 2025

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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