TAN EAGER FOR MORE MAJOR BATTLES

Playing against the best at the elite level keeps Singapore golfer driven to improve

- Kimberly Kwek

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 3 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.