‘A step forward’ for golfer Shannon Tan, who makes cut at Evian Championship

SINGAPORE – Golfers competing at the Majors can expect to face tough courses and a talent-packed field, and for Singaporean Shannon Tan, the chance to compete in such a high-pressure environment is something that she relishes.

In her first Major of the 2025 season, the 21-year-old passed her first test by making the cut at the Evian Championship on July 11, after carding a three-under 68 in the second round to finish at one-under 141, three strokes fewer than the +2 cut line.

Tan was tied-36th with seven others at two-under 211 after shooting a one-under 70 in the third round. She trailed co-leaders Cara Gainer (64) of England and Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels (66) by nine strokes going into the final round on July 13.

“I really enjoy competing in a Major because these are the pinnacle events in women’s golf, and just being here is such a privilege,” said Tan, who is making her third Major appearance.

“The environment, the field, and the tougher course set-ups really push you to raise your game. It’s intense, but that’s what makes it so exciting.”

The star power at the Majors is undeniable, and this week is no different, with the world’s top 20 players part of the initial field of 132 at the US$8 million (S$10.3 million) tournament.

By the weekend, the field had been reduced to the top 70 players and ties, with several big names missing the cut at the Evian Resort Golf Club’s Champions Course in Evian-les-Bains.

Among them was three-time Major winner and Olympic champion Lydia Ko, who fell short by three shots.

Other top-10 players who did not advance included fourth-ranked Chinese golfer Yin Ruoning, who finished in the top four in two out of three Majors in the season, and Sweden’s world No. 8 Maja Stark, the 2025 US Open champion.

Yin was off the cut line by a stroke, while Stark missed by two.

It was not an easy start for Tan either, who ended the first day joint-76th after shooting a two-over 73. But she stayed patient and bounced back with a 68 on the second day.

Tan said: “Majors are the ultimate test, where every shot counts, and you have to be fully present and committed.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn, grow, and see how your game stacks up against the very best.”

For the world No. 95, making the cut this time represents significant progress from the last edition, when she did not progress to the weekend, missing out by nine strokes with a nine-over 151 to finish tied-120th.

She said: “It means a lot, especially after missing the cut by a long way last year.

“It’s a nice sign of progress and shows the improvements I’ve made over the past year. Definitely a step forward.”

This is the second time Tan has reached the weekend at a Major, following her breakthrough performance at the 2024 Women’s British Open. There, she became just the second golfer from Singapore – and the first female – to achieve the feat, behind Lam Chih Bing, who did so in 2008.

Tan continues to blaze a trail for Singapore golf. A fortnight ago, she clinched her second victory on the Ladies European Tour (LET) at the German Masters, adding to the historic title she won in Kenya in February 2024 on her circuit debut.

Entering the Evian Championship with confidence, Tan has already notched four other top-10 finishes and missed the cut just once in 11 LET events this season.

While she feels like she has shown improvement from before, she is wary of being complacent.

She said: “I think making the cut is the first step, so in that sense, yes. It’s already better than last year, but there’s still a lot of golf left to play and more I want to do over the weekend.”

The goal for the remainder of the tournament is simple for Tan.

She said: “Honestly, just to stick to the same game plan, hit fairways, hit greens, and make putts.

“For me, it is about keeping things simple and focusing on what I can control. I’ll just keep going shot by shot.”