Rested and recharged, S’pore golfer Shannon Tan ready for second season on Ladies European Tour

SINGAPORE – After a marathon 2024 season that saw her play from January to December, Shannon Tan knew she needed a break and kept her golf clubs aside for about a fortnight before the New Year.

It was the first time in a long while that the professional golfer had some time off and she spent it with her family, staying at her grandmother’s house and getting her fix of local dishes such as chicken rice and Hokkien mee.

She also finally managed to celebrate Christmas and Chinese New Year at home for the first time in a few years, catching up with relatives whom she had not seen in a while.

Now, the 20-year-old feels refreshed and ready for her second season on the Ladies European Tour (LET), which tees off with the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco on Feb 6.

She said: “One thing about being away from home so much is that I realise I really value and treasure the time I get to spend with my family now.

“I feel recharged. I know there will always be times throughout the year where I’ve a few weeks off and can come home.”

After her break, the world No. 142 travelled to Perth to see her coach Ryan Lumsden, physiotherapist and gym trainer as she looks to build on an impressive rookie year.

Her first professional season saw her win on her LET debut and claim another three top-10 finishes on the circuit, placing sixth out of 202 on the Order of Merit.

She also made history by becoming Singapore’s first golfer to compete at the Olympics and made the cut at a Major when she achieved the feat at the Women’s British Open.

With 29 events on her 2024 calendar, there were times when she felt burnt out. Towards the end of the season, she also dealt with pain in her right elbow, which she later discovered was because of a tight rotator cuff in her shoulder.

To prevent this from happening again, Tan is looking to play 22 to 23 events, giving her more time to focus on gym work, which she did not include last season due to her hectic playing schedule.

She said: “A lot of the girls (on the Tour) go to the gym quite regularly, but last year I wasn’t keen on trying to do that and play back-to-back weeks.”

While she is more familiar with how things on the Tour work now, one thing that will be different is the increased expectations that have come following a stellar 2024.

She said: “At the start of the season last year, I thought of making the cut. But now, I know I’ve won last year, I’ve come in second and third, with a couple of top 10s, so I know I’ve done it before and I know it’s more than possible.”

But, rather than obsessing over results, she will be focusing more on “small goals”, such as working on certain facets of her game.

Over the off-season, Tan and Lumsden compared her Olympic statistics with that of Paris Games champion Lydia Ko.

The numbers showed that while Tan and three-time Major winner Ko made about the same amount of bogeys – eight and six respectively – the Kiwi carded 20 birdies, while Tan, who placed 40th out of 60, had only seven.

That came down to putting, so one thing Tan worked on with Lumsden was converting more five- to 15-foot putts.

All these small details matter as she aims for a top-10 finish on the LET’s Order of Merit again in hopes of earning a ticket into the final stage of the LPGA qualifying school.

In December 2024, she had competed in the series’ final qualifying stage but missed the cut and did not get a spot on the LPGA’s 2025 season.

As she embarks on the next chapter of her golf career, Tan will have the backing of cryptocurrency exchange Independent Reserve, global private bank EFG, Lexus, Adidas, Titleist, Lululemon and Sentosa Golf Club.

On the significance of these partnerships, she said: “It allows me to focus on competing around the globe and ensure I have the resources to perform my best.

“Our values align closely – wanting the best for junior golf and women’s sports as well. Overall, I’m just really fortunate to have such an amazing support system and their belief in me.”