Leader Feng stays focused as Trump visits

Leader Feng stays focused as Trump visits

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Shanshan Feng increased her lead in the U.S. Women’s Open and lost the spotlight.

Returning from a short trip to France, President Trump pulled into his Trump National Golf Club on Friday in the middle of the second round of the biggest tournament in women’s golf.

A few hours later, he watched from an enclosed glass box next to the 14th green and stole the show.

While Trump waved at the fans, gave them the thumbs-up and pumped his fist, three of the top players — Lexi Thompson, Brooke Henderson and Stacy Lewis — were putting on the green.

Thompson noticed where the attention had gone.

“Not toward the golf,” she said matter-of-factly.

“It’s really amazing that the president of the United States is here to watch us play golf and on a tremendous golf course,” said Henderson, who was tied for 10th place.

The USGA, which awarded this event to Trump in 2012, took a lot of criticism for failing to move the tournament when comments made by Trump about women came to light in the past year.

Warren G. Harding (1921) and Bill Clinton (1997) were the only other sitting presidents to attend USGA events, going to the U.S. Open.

The 27-year-old Chinese player shot a 2-under-par 70 and had a 36-hole total of 8-under 136 on the 6,732-yard course.

“I heard people like kind of screaming so that’s what I was trying to find out, like why they were screaming,” she said.

Amy Yang of South Korea remained in second place, although her deficit grew to two shots after a 71.

Yang has four top-five finishes in the event in the past five years.

Jeongeun6 Lee, who has a victory and 10 top-10 finishes this season on the KLPGA Tour, shared second after posting a second straight 69.

Lee uses the “6” after her first name because there are six other South Korean players with the same name.

Hye-Jin Choi, a 17-year-old from South Korea who is the world’s second-ranked amateur, also was at 6 under after a second straight 69.

Top-ranked So Yeon Ryu (72) and 2015 winner In Gee Chun (70) topped the group at 4 under, while Marina Alex (70) of Wayne, N.J., was the top American at 3 under.

The 2014 winner shot a 73 on Thursday and stopped on her second hole Friday.

Tom Canavan is an Associated Press writer.