Shannon Tan pleased with joint-second finish at Women’s Indian Open

SINGAPORE – Shannon Tan’s trailblazing season looks to be headed for a strong finish after the Singapore golfer conjured a strong closing for joint-second place at the Women’s Indian Open on Oct 27.

Joint leader at the halfway mark, the 20-year-old carded a final round three-under 69, with three birdies in her closing nine holes, to join France’s Agathe Sauzon (69), Belgian Manon de Roey (74) and New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori (70) on one-under 287 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram.

The quartet were one stroke behind winner Liz Young of England, whose final-day 72 was enough for her first win on the Ladies European Tour (LET) this season.

Tan’s result added to her impressive debut campaign, which included a historic victory at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in February when she made history as the first Singaporean to win on the LET.

Her other ground-breaking feats included becoming the first Singaporean to compete in the Olympic Games and the first female golfer from the Republic to feature in the Majors – the Evian Championship and Women’s British Open.

Tan said on her latest performance: “It means a lot. Competing with players at this level and holding my own confirm that I belong on the tour and that my game is continually evolving.

“It’s an honour to be in such company, and it motivates me to keep pushing myself.

“I’m really pleased with my performance, and it’s rewarding to see the work I’ve put in throughout the year starting to pay off.

“The field (of 114) was incredibly competitive, featuring many current season winners and top LET players, many of whom have played this course before.”

Young, meanwhile, was in “disbelief” with her second career LET title after the Swiss Ladies Open triumph in 2022.

The 42-year-old told the LET website: “It’s my second win, but it’s still as important as any other win.

“They don’t happen very often as a professional golfer.”

While champion Young basks in the limelight, her rival Tan is hoping to maintain her momentum to end her season on a high.

After her fourth top-10 finish on the LET this season which propelled her to fifth spot on the Order of Merit, the Singaporean said: “It feels great. It’s a big confidence boost going into the final two events of the year.

“I’ve been feeling strong, healthier and focused lately, and this result reassures me that I’m moving in the right direction.”

Up next for her is the Aramco Team Series Riyadh from Oct 31-Nov 2, before the Nov 28-Dec 1 Andalucia Open de Espana.

Tan added: “My goal is to finish strong and hopefully land in the top 10 on the Order of Merit.

“Being my first year as a professional, 2024 has been a year of growth, and I’m eager to see what the rest of the year holds.”