Malaysia’s Kelly Tan has made it to the final round of the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia, following a third round 73 which saw her survive the 54-hole cut right on the line.
Starting on the back nine at the Beach Course of 13th Beach Golf Links in Victoria, Tan was two-under-par for the round and five-under-par overall after nine holes. Three bogeys on her inward nine saw Tan finish on two-under-par overall, just enough for her to make to Sunday in joint 33rd position.
The tournament had two cuts, to top 60 players and ties after 36 holes and top 35 and ties after 54 holes. Korea’s Ayeon Choi leads the field on 12-under-par with one round to go.
The ISPS Handa Vic Open is a trailblazer for gender equality in golf, with men and women playing on the same courses, at the same time and for equal prize money of US$1.1 million. A field of 144 men and 144 women played one round on each of the first two days on the par-72 Beach Course and par-73 Creek Course. The third and fourth rounds take place on the Beach Course.
For the second consecutive year, the tournament was jointly sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) Tour, the European Tour and the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia.
Tan, 26, is back on the LPGA Tour this year after regaining full playing rights via last year’s Q-Series at Pinehurst. She had played four full seasons on the LPGA Tour from 2014 but lost full playing rights following the 2017 season.
Tan competed mainly on the second-tier Symetra Tour in 2018 and 2019, winning the 2019 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on the Symetra Tour for her first international professional title.
