by Jonathan Ponniah
Kelly Tan may not have had the best of starts to her 2023 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour campaign, but the Malaysian number one is confident that her fortunes will turn around after some much needed time off.
Following a gruelling and mentally-draining stretch from late March where she missed six cuts in a row, Tan has opted to take a break from the tour and skip this week’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards in Last Vegas – despite her unbeaten run in last year’s event.
The 29-year-old noted that she needs time to rest and recharge before the LPGA Tour’s four-event East Coast swing, beginning with the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National (June 1-4) and culminating with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol (June 22-25).
Tan also plans to use this week to spend quality time with her Canadian husband, Dustin Lattery, with whom she tied the knot in December last year. Due to business commitments, Lattery has not been able to accompany Tan on tour as much as he would have liked to this year.
Kelly Tan and Dustin Lattery. Photo: Kelly Tan
“I just feel that I need some time to rest and also to be home with Dusty. I spent a lot of time away from him this year and we just want to enjoy a week together, before I go back out on tour for a long stretch,” said Tan, who hails from Batu Pahat in Johor.
“It’s been tough not having him caddying and being there every week.”
Tan is confident that things will get better for her on the golf course. “I know that I was building confidence in the past three tournaments. I don’t really look at cuts made because I don’t want to just make cuts. If you make the cut and don’t play well, it still feels horrible.
“Last year, even when I was finishing in the top 20, I still felt that there were disappointing weeks because I had the chance to finish higher. I just want to be confident and really enjoy my time out on tour. I’m excited for the next stretch and it can only get better,” noted Tan, who finished 67th on the LPGA Tour’s season-long Race To The CME Globe standings in 2022.
This positive outlook, Tan stressed, is something all golfers should adhere to. “My advice to everyone, young and old, is to always manage your expectations and maintain a positive perspective.
“There is always something in your life that you can be positive about. For instance, this week I get to be home with my husband,” Tan advised.
Turning professional in 2013, Tan enjoyed her best season in 2020 when she finished 27th on the Race To The CME Globe rankings. She has one victory on the LPGA’s secondary circuit, the Epson Tour, at the 2019 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic.
In April this year, Tan was appointed as the ASEAN ambassador for Maybank, Malaysia’s largest financial services and banking group. This followed the announcement that the LPGA Tour will be returning to Malaysian shores with the US$3 million Maybank Championship, which tees off on October 26-29 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
