High hopes for 13-year-old Sydnie Ng’s debut at Singapore Ladies Masters
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Sydnie Ng, 13, hopes to make the cut on her debut at the Singapore Ladies Masters.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE – Laguna National Golf Resort Club provided the springboard for Singapore golfer Shannon Tan’s fledgling career, as she beat battle-hardened pros to win the Singapore Ladies Masters as an amateur in 2023.
Tan, 20, has since turned professional and gone on to claim the Magical Kenya Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in February. She is set to be on the list of Olympic-bound female golfers when the cut-off is made on June 24.
With Tan not defending her Singapore title as she focuses on the LET, compatriot Sydnie Ng, 13, will be hoping to emulate her feat as the China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA) Tour event returns to the Republic from June 14 to 16.
Dubbed one of the brightest talents in Singapore golf, Sydnie is the youngest competitor in the 132-strong field that includes 22 amateurs.
But unlike Tan, who confidently declared her intention to win the 54-hole stroke-play event during the 2023 pre-tournament press conference, Sydnie’s target is more modest – to make the cut in the US$100,000 (S$135,000) competition.
The teenager told The Straits Times: “The previous tournament I played, I missed the cut. So hopefully I can do better. I practise here often, so maybe it could be an advantage. I feel like my game is definitely better than last year.”
Her breakthrough came in July 2023
Five months later, she clinched the Feng Shanshan Academy Cup International Junior Golf Championship girls’ B Division title.
Sydnie is no stranger to hard work. A regular training day for her starts at 3pm after school ends. She then begins at least three hours of practice – comprising gym work, putting, chipping and fine-tuning her swing at the driving range. On the weekends, she goes onto the golf course to train distance control.
“I’m quite fortunate because I have no homework. School is basically like you do everything in school. So it’s easy for me. If I go home at eight, I can sleep by nine and I can have like 10 hours of sleep,” said Sydnie, a Grade 7 student at St. Joseph’s Institution International.
Her parents also do not dictate what she must do on weekends, leaving her free to unwind after her rounds.
Tournament director Lyn Yeo first saw Sydnie play at the age of eight and was convinced by her potential after witnessing her opening tee shot in front of a sizeable crowd at a junior tournament.
Yeo said: “Ninety per cent of them will duff their shots because they are nervous. But it did not faze her at all. The swing was very good and she has the mental tenacity to take the pressure.
“My KPI for her is to win this tournament within six years. She’s my next Olympic hope. I see her going all the way – matching Shannon, if not, even surpassing (her).”
Sydnie aspires to play college golf in the United States, adding: “My final goal is the LPGA Tour. But my thoughts are a bit different from Shannon. In five years’ time, I want to play college golf. I don’t think I want to turn pro as early as her.”
From left: Athena Ni (SGP), Arianna Lau (HKG), Sydnie Ng (SGP), Ji Yuai (CHN), Ren Yijia (CHN).
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Other players in this week’s event include the second-ranked player on the CLPGA’s Order of Merit, Ji Yuai of China. The 19-year-old finished runner-up to Tan during the 2023 edition.
Said Ji: “Laguna is a challenging course and this year we have a stronger field. I finished second last year and have some regrets, so I hope to do better this time.”
CLPGA chief executive officer Li Hong, 55, said she hopes the Singapore event can eventually become Asia’s first Major, but acknowledged attracting elite golfers like China’s world No. 4 Yin Ruoning and 13th-ranked Lin Xiyu would be “difficult but not impossible”.
The LPGA’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, held at Sentosa Golf Club in March, carries a prize pool of US$1.8 million, 18 times more than this event.
Yeo said talks are under way to increase the event’s prize pool for future editions.
She added: “What attracts players is prize money, right? Our goal is to gradually increase the prize money each year. I think it’s very achievable with our partners and sponsors.”
