By Syama Ramasamy
The feisty Metal Ox looms, pawing the ground with its forefeet, ready to take over the reins from February 12, 2021 to January 30, 2022 as Chinese communities around the world get ready to usher in the Lunar New Year. And it will certainly be a spectacular celebration for Kelly Tan, who enjoyed a career-reviving – and life-changing – 2020.
“2020 had been bad for a lot of people, but for me, it’s been the best year of my career yet. I’m glad to have brought some positivity to Malaysia and Malaysian golf … and I’m looking forward to more. Couldn’t have asked for anything better,” says the 27-year-old, elated to be back home with her family in Batu Pahat, Johor.
After two years playing mainly on the second-tier Symetra Tour, Kelly’s 2020 revival saw her record her best ever showing on the LPGA Tour despite the abbreviated schedule. She finished a career-high 37th on the tour’s Race To CME Globe rankings and moved up from 411th in the Rolex World Rankings at the start of 2020 to 144th at the end of the year.
“It was the first year I played my way into the CME Group Tour Championship, I’ve always wanted to play in a Tour championship,” says Kelly, breaking down her season of personal career breakthroughs. “I finished tied-13th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship … and I set the record for best finish by a Malaysian in a Major!
“Those have definitely been the highlights of 2020 career-wise. But,” she says, her face widening into a bashful grin, “the most memorable has been the proposal! That’s something I’d cherish forever.”
Indeed the 2020 season couldn’t have written a more fulfilling narrative for the Malaysian ladies No 1 as she breezes into the new year styling a dazzling rock on her finger, and with beau-of-five-years Dustin Lattery by her side, who popped the question at arguably the most iconic par-three in the world, Pebble Beach’s 7th hole, two days before the world ushered in 2021.
Though her Canadian fiancé couldn’t be here in Malaysia to celebrate the Chinese New Year with Kelly, she’s excited at the prospect of having all the Tan siblings under one roof for the occasion after a spell.
“This will be the first time the Tan family will all be together. My sister Cindy just graduated from the UK, my brother Robin too … they’re both back home. All of us are here this year, so it’s going to be fun. A little quiet perhaps, but fun.”
A ‘quiet’ affair, certainly an unfamiliar concept for the Tans as the family’s typical CNY reunion dinner is anything but.
“Mum and dad each have 10 siblings and I have a total of 70 cousins, and I’ve already lost count of nephews and nieces!” exclaims Kelly. “We would usually head to my grandma’s house for the big reunion dinner of about 100 people at dad’s hometown, Parit Buloh, which is about 15 minutes on the outskirts of Batu Pahat.”
Amidst all the lip-smacking specialty dishes and excitement of angpows, she shares, there’d be the CNY mainstays – boisterous mahjong sessions and card games, complementing the much-anticipated annual tradition. “It would be super fun and crowded. Don’t think that’ll be the case this year, though,” she adds, referring to the on-going MCO 2.0, which has been extended to February 4.
With golf and virtually all other sports having to take a mandatory “break” due to MCO 2.0, how has Kelly been spending her time in “lockdown”?
“With all the kids reunited, we are cleaning the house, and taking the opportunity to go through old storage,” she shares. “It’s been fun going through all the old photographs … they bring back lots of memories.
“I also try to keep up with my fitness,” adds Kelly, a keen eye always on the prize, determined to stay focused and in form for her next LPGA tee-off. “I ‘Facetime’ friends (eg Dianne Luke, Michele Low, Thomas Low, Sean Yi) so I have workout buddies to keep each other motivated during this time.”
As Kelly turns the page to a new chapter in life, complemented by her new-found confidence in her bag of tricks, and with the resounding, comforting presence of fiancé Dusty – whom she describes as “my best friend, and my rock” – in her corner, 2021 is certainly looking brighter than it’s ever looked for Malaysia’s golf darling.
“2020 has been a year of shifts for me. It’s exciting to be able to have that momentum going into 2021 – there are so many good tournaments in store, as well as the Olympics, so I’m really looking forward to it all.”
