Shannon Tan
Shannon Tan created history by becoming the first Singaporean amateur to win the inaugural Singapore Ladies Masters on the China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA).
Playing on her home course at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club, the 19-year-old closed with a six-under-par 66 for a one-shot victory over China’s Ji Yuai, who rue a missed birdie opportunity on her closing hole that could have forced a playoff with the young Singaporean.
Stepping up to the 18th green, Tan kept her composure and duly delivered by sinking a 10-foot putt to sign off from the 54-hole event with her winning total of 10-under-par 206- making her also the first Singapore golfer since Mardan Mamat in 2006 to win an international golf tournament and at the same Masters course at Laguna National.
“This (win) is truly special, especially in front of all my friends and family who have been supporting me all week.
“It just hasn’t really sunk in yet. I didn’t know I had to make the birdie putt on the 18th (to win) and I just approached it like any other normal putt,” said Tan, who had flown in from the United States, where she is currently a Texas Tech University undergraduate to compete in this tournament.
Tan’s joy was also her father’s pride as the elder Tan was quietly confident his daughter will secure a grandstand finish this week.
“At the start of the week, when Shannon told everyone at the press conference that she will win this tournament, there were doubts. But not me. I believed in her and I was confident she will do well if she plays to her full potential,” said Desmond Tan.
Lyn Yeo, founder of LLD Sports and organiser of the Singapore Ladies Masters said: “It has been a fabulous week for Singapore golf and myself. I was quietly confident Shannon will win. This is the best birthday present for me as I couldn’t celebrate it earlier given the busy preparations for this tournament.
This will kickstart many things and her win will inspire many players that this (winning) can be done with the right support, belief and perseverance.”
Ji Yuai of China
Ji was visibly disappointed as she was clinging onto a slender one-shot lead with four holes left to play until a bogey on 17 put paid to all hopes of her maiden breakthrough on CLPGA.
“It’s disappointing. I really tried my best and this (loss) felt even worse than my other runner-up finish at the Beijing Women’s Challenge as I was leading and could have won if not for my wayward tee shot on 17.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow. But that’s golf and I have to move on and take the positives from the week,” said the 18-year-old Chinese.
Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong carded a 70 to finish in outright third place with her 210 total.
Genevieve Ling of Malaysia
Malaysia’s Genevieve Ling who started the final day joint fifth had a mixed final round. Her scorecard was marred by two double-bogeys on the 9th and 11th holes. She rallied with two birdies on the 12th and 15th, with an initial one the third but the earlier bogeys on the 4th, 6th and subsequent 17th holes simply made catching up an impossible task. She finished tied 16th with three others with her final round score of four-over-par 76 for total 216.
Aretha Pan, who narrowly made the cut, after being on the edge of the cut line when the second day was suspended due to inclement weather, unsure of her odds of playing the final round, tried to make good use of her chances but her putter failed her. After her double bogey on the fifth, she tried to make a comeback with a birdie on the sixth, but the bogeys on the 13th and 17th put paid to her hopes. She carded a four-over-par 76 for a total score of 10-over-par 226 and tied 64th position.
The Singapore Ladies Masters featured an international field of 132 players from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Hong Kong China, Chinese Taipei, India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United States, Indonesia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, battling for the total prize purse of US$100,000.
It was the fifth leg of the 2023 CLPGA season after stops in Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.
