Singapore golfer Shannon Tan included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list

SINGAPORE – Singaporean golfer Shannon Tan has been named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2026, which was released on May 28.

The annual list features 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders and innovators across the Asia-Pacific region – all under the age of 30 – who are pushing the boundaries in their respective fields.

The honourees were selected across 10 categories, including the arts, social impact, consumer and enterprise technology, and entertainment and sports.

In a write-up on its website, Forbes noted that the pro golfer became the first Singaporean to win the Order of Merit title on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in 2025 and listed her other achievements such as representing Singapore at the Paris Olympics in 2024. 

Tan, who carded a one-under 70 in the first round of the Jabra Ladies Open at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France on May 28, said: “It’s honestly really special and something I’m very grateful for.

“When I first started playing golf, I never imagined being recognised in this way outside of the sport. To be included in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list alongside so many talented people across different industries is very humbling.

“I’ve always just focused on improving, representing Singapore proudly and trying to make the most of every opportunity. Hopefully, this recognition also helps shine a light on golf in Singapore and inspires more young athletes to believe that big dreams are possible.”

The 22-year-old joins other South-east Asian athletes on the list such as the Philippines’ tennis starlet Alexandra Eala, who has risen to No. 37 in the world rankings at the age of 21, and Thailand’s former badminton world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, 25.

Japanese baseballer Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 27, who was named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player after starring in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2025 title triumph, was also included along with golfer Minjee Lee, 30, and 18-year-old sprinter Gout Gout, both of Australia.

Key to Tan’s capture of the Order of Merit title in 2025 was her consistency throughout the season, which stretched from February to November.

Besides winning the German Masters and Indian Open, she also placed in the top 10 on six other occasions in 23 events.

She also competed at the Evian Championship, where she tied for 59th place, and was tied-40th at the Women’s British Open.

At the Wistron Ladies Open in Taiwan in October 2025, Tan also surpassed the $1 million mark in career earnings with a joint-44th finish – just two years after turning professional.

For her accomplishments, Tan was named The Straits Times Athlete of the Year 2025 on April 4, ahead of sprint queen Shanti Pereira, seven-gold Paralympic swimming champion Yip Pin Xiu, pool ace Aloysius Yapp, swimmer Letitia Sim and bowler New Hui Fen.

Pereira herself also featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2024, joining other Singaporean athletes such as Olympic gold medallist and former swimmer Joseph Schooling (2017), Yip (2018), three-time silat world champion Sheik Farhan (2021) and former badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew (2022).

Other Singaporeans in the 2026 list include singer Iman Fandi, actress-singer Nathania Ong and Regine Sum, founder of Singapore-based cookie brand Nasty Cookie.

The 300 honourees were selected after close to 4,000 candidates were evaluated by the Forbes Asia team and a panel of experts, including 30 Under 30 alumni from various sectors.

It features a diverse set of honourees, with 18 countries and territories represented across the Asia-Pacific region.

India has the most entries at 78, followed by China (46), Australia (38) and Japan (32). Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea have 18 each.