Golf: After creditable outing at HSBC event, S’pore’s Amanda Tan looks forward to debut season on Epson Tour

SINGAPORE – Ahead of her debut Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Epson Tour season, Amanda Tan received a confidence boost despite finishing near the bottom of the HSBC Women’s World Championship.

The 23-year-old, who has featured in the tournament five times, wrapped up the US$1.8 million (S$2.4 million) event at Sentosa Golf Club’s New Tanjong Course with a one-over 73 on Sunday to finish 62nd of 66 golfers.

She compiled earlier rounds of 76, 74 and 73 and her eight-over 296 total surpassed the previous best score by a Singaporean, Koh Sock Hwee, who posted a 10-over 298, although that was at Sentosa’s Serapong Course.

Tan will next feature at the Epson Tour’s March 16-19 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic.

She said: “This year I definitely felt more like I was competing (not just score-wise but in terms of how I played).

“I felt I played some pretty good shots, some good holes out there, although at the start I wish I had made more putts and birdies. But I feel like I did play better this year, not just in terms of the technical aspect, but mentally it has taught me a lot.”

Tan, who joined the pay-for-play ranks in 2017, became the first local to earn Epson Tour status last December. It is the second tier of the women’s professional circuit in the United States and a feeder to the LPGA Tour, in which the world’s best players compete.

In 2022, the Epson Tour featured 21 tournaments with prize purses ranging from US$200,000 to US$335,000. The 2023 season begins in March with 22 events offering a total of US$4.915 million.

Tan, who also played at the HSBC event in 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2021, credits improvements in her performance to her stint in the US in 2022. While she was there, she played on the Women’s All Pro Tour, LPGA Q-school and a few Epson Tour events.

She highlighted progress in certain aspects of her game such as consistent ball striking, better speed control in her putts and the mental side of things.

Tan said she gained valuable lessons from the just-ended home event. One memorable experience was being in the same group as twice Major champion Brooke Henderson on Saturday. Tan observed how the 25-year-old Canadian, a winner of 13 LPGA titles, stayed patient even when things did not go her way.

Tan is looking forward to playing on the Epson Tour and said: “It’s my first year on Tour, there’s so much to learn and I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I played a few Epson Tour events, but now I’m going to play week after week and I’m looking forward to that.

“The ultimate goal is that I want to take as much as I can from this Epson experience to keep getting better and also enjoy the process.”