Ā鶹“«Ć½

SINGAPORE: After herĢżsecond victory on the European tour circuit, Singaporean golfer Shannon Tan is now eyeing the prestigious LPGA Tour, the 21-year-old told Ā鶹“«Ć½ on Monday (Jun 30).

She had secured her second Ladies EuropeanĢżTour title the day beforeĢżat the 2025 Amundi German Masters, following her win at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open.

ā€œIn the short term, Iā€™m focused on staying healthy, consistent, and putting myself in contention as often as possible. Iā€™ve got a few Majors and co-sanctioned events coming up this summer, so that stretch will be really important for me,ā€ she said of her next steps.

Looking further ahead, Tan aims to continue climbing the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit, qualifying for more Majors, and eventually earning her Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour card, she said.

ā€œItā€™s all part of a step-by-step process,ā€ said Tan, who is currently in London.

The LPGA is the world's leading professional golf organisation for women and it runs the top-tier LPGA Tour.

Golfers qualify for the LPGA Tour through the LPGA qualifying series of tournaments, with the top 25 and ties making it. Another route is through the Epson Tour, the second tier of the womenā€™s professional circuit in the US, where the top 15 will earn their LPGA Tour cards the following year.

Tan, who is Singapore's top female golfer, turned professional last year. In August, she became the countryā€™s first golfer to play at an Olympic Games and also became the first Singaporean woman to make the cut at a Major tournament.

STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM

Tan told Ā鶹“«Ć½ she has been ā€œreally fortunate to have a strong support systemā€ in her golfing endeavours.

ā€œMy family has been with me from the very beginning. My dad and mumā€™s belief in me never wavers, no matter the result. Even though Iā€™m on the road a lot and donā€™t get to see them as much, I always know theyā€™re just a call or text away,ā€ she said.

Her coach, trainer and management team have also played a huge role in helping her grow both on and off the course.

She is also grateful for the support from her sponsors and the golfing community back in Singapore, said Tan.

Tan said her recipe for success thus far has been ā€œconsistency, patience, and staying groundedā€.

ā€œI try to focus on getting a little better every day, whether itā€™s technical work, mental preparation, or learning from tough rounds,ā€ she said.

Having the right mindset through both the highs and lows has also been key, she said, adding that she has been ā€œlucky to have people around me who keep me focused and honestā€.

ā€œI always say, ā€˜play boring golfā€™ and ā€˜take it one shot at a timeā€™ and honestly, that approach really helps me mentally when Iā€™m out on the course,ā€ said Tan.

REPRESENTING SINGAPORE ON THE WORLD STAGE

Tan said that what drives her in her golfing journey is her genuine love for ā€œthe game, the challenge, the learning, and the pursuit of getting betterā€.

Apart from the fresh test each week, Tan also wants to fly Singaporeā€™s flag on the world stage and also inspire a next generation of golfers, she told Ā鶹“«Ć½.

ā€œIā€™m also motivated by the opportunity to represent Singapore on the global stage and hopefully inspire more young golfers back home,ā€ she said.

ā€œThatā€™s a big part of what drives me.ā€

She added that Singapore has come a long way in terms of golf development, with great facilities and a strong pipeline of young talent coming through. For instance,ĢżHiroshi Tai, like Tan, is performing well on the global stage and in April became the first Singaporean to play at the Masters.

ā€œIā€™d love to see even more investment in junior development and competitive opportunities, both at home and overseas, to give younger players the exposure and experience they need to grow,ā€ she said.

ā€œThereā€™s so much potential in Singaporean golf, and I hope my journey can show that itā€™s possible to compete on the world stage.ā€