Shannon Tan posts best showing at a Major with tied-32nd finish at Women’s PGA C’ship

SINGAPORE – It is shaping up to be a demanding 2026 for Shannon Tan with the Singaporean golfer contesting four of the season’s five Majors, but she is relishing the opportunity to challenge herself at these events.

During her debut at the June 25-28 Women’s PGA Championship, the 22-year-old stood up to the test when she placed tied-32nd to record her best finish at a Major.

At the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, she mixed three bogeys and two birdies to card a one-over 73 in the final round on June 28, signing for an even-par 288 total.

That placed her alongside four others – Italy’s Carolina Melgrati (73), American Andrea Lee (74), Japan’s 2025 Chevron Championship winner Mao Saigo (74) and Jenny Shin (75) of South Korea – who finished 13 strokes behind champion Ryu Hae-ran.

After a thunderstorm pushed tee times back by 3½ hours in the final round, Ryu shot a two-under 70 to claim the first Major win of her career, beating fellow South Korean Yoon I-na (70) by two strokes.

The Netherlands’ Dewi Weber (70) and 2016 champion Brooke Henderson (72) of Canada were a shot behind Yoon in third.

“The Majors are where every player wants to be,” said Tan.

“You’re competing against the strongest fields in the world, and there’s just something special about the atmosphere and the challenge.

“Playing in them has made me even more motivated to keep earning my place in those events and continue challenging myself against the best players in the world.”

Before this, the world No. 85’s best finish at a Major came at the Chevron Championship in April, when she was tied-38th at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.

This is the first year that she is playing in the US Majors, having earned her spot at these two events by winning the 2025 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit title.

While she has adapted well, Tan noted that preparation for such tournaments has to be thorough because the Majors test every aspect of one’s game.

She said: “With a Major, you know you’re going to face a tougher set-up – longer rough, firmer fairways and much faster greens.

“My preparation reflects that as I’ve spent a lot of time working on speed control on the putting greens, sharpening my short game so I have a variety of shots around the greens, and making sure my long game is dialled in by practising different ball flights.”

At Hazeltine, Tan played just one round over par, posting rounds of 72, 72, 71 across the first three days.

She attributed her strong performances in 2026 to her ball striking, which has taken the pressure off the rest of her game.

Tan ranked second in the field of 153 in Minnesota for strokes gained on approach-the-green (2.245) and fourth for tee-to-green (2.874), while tying for eighth in greens in regulation at 73.61 per cent.

More consistent work off the course, including gym work, physiotherapy and recovery, has also improved her overall fitness.

Describing her maiden Women’s PGA Championship outing as a “great experience”, the tournament was also memorable for Tan as she scored the first hole-in-one of her professional career, acing the 169-yard, par-three hole No. 4 in the second round with her six-iron.

She said: “I felt like I learnt a lot over the week while really enjoying the overall tournament experience.

“Ball striking was definitely one of the strengths of my game, and on a course like that it was so important to find the fairways because the rough was really thick.”

With two Majors left to play in 2026, she hopes to maintain consistent performances as she looks to improve on her results at the July 9-12 Evian Championship and July 30-Aug 2 Women’s British Open.

Her best finishes at these two events came in 2025, when she placed tied-59th at the Evian Championship and joint-40th at the Women’s British Open.

She said: “I just want to keep developing every part of my game because there’s still a lot of golf left to play this season.

“If I keep playing good golf and continue improving, hopefully the results will show.”

Meanwhile, Ryu was elated to finally earn her breakthrough at a Major.

The 25-year-old’s highest finish at a Major previously came when she placed fifth at the Chevron Championship and Evian Championship in 2024.

The new world No. 7 had entered the final day with a one-shot cushion and weathered a tumultuous front nine that featured three bogeys and three birdies, before making a pair of 14-foot birdie putts at holes No. 10 and 12 to get the separation she needed.

“Feels like dreams come true right now, because I tried the couple times on the Major champion but I don’t get it,” said the four-time LPGA Tour winner.

“Today I did it, so I’m so happy right now.”