SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – Shannon Tan intends to take a page out of Scottie Scheffler’s book ahead of her history-making debut at the Olympic Games: Have fun. If it worked for the top-ranked player in the men’s game, then why not, right?
Ahead of the start of last week’s Olympic men’s golf competition, several of the top stars were asked what their “Paris Goal” was, with almost all of them saying it was to win a medal of some form. Yet, when it came to Scheffler, the American simply said his goal was “have fun.”
Well, it turned out he did both, shooting a course record-equalling 62 in the final round to win gold on Sunday at Le Golf National.
Now, it’s the women’s turn, with Tan set to become Singapore’s first Olympic golfer as a 60-strong field assemble at Paris 2024.
“It would definitely be great (to win a medal), but at the same time, Scottie's goal for the week was just to have fun, and he was probably the only player that said that, while everyone else said to come back with a medal or come back with the gold medal,” she said. “I think I'm going to look up to that and just probably aim to have fun like what Scottie did, but at the same time it would also be great for golf back home.”
The Olympics provide a fantastic platform for golf to grow in Singapore, and the 20-year-old Tan is aware of the interest her appearance is generating in her homeland.
“A lot of people back home are supporting you, like friends, family, everyone in general is more aware about golf,” she said during a pre-tournament press conference on Monday. “To represent your country on the biggest stage definitely is a big honour, and representing your country on your shirt and on your back is just the best thing that could ever happen.”
Tan has made an effort to immerse herself in the Olympics, attending the Opening Ceremony on July 26 and interacting with lots of Singaporean athletes from other sports.
She will also have friends and family on hand to offer their support, but while her parents are with her in France, they won’t be on the course at Le Golf National to see her play. Why?
“I think they have like never really been a good luck charm to me since I was young, like when I was a kid,” she explained. “So, I never wanted to risk it. They never watch me play.
“I mean, they have been out at a couple events, but they would never be on the course. They would just be in the clubhouse. I think it's just a thing from when I was young, and they weren't exactly a good luck charm on the course physically.”
Tan, who turned professional at the start of the year, made history shortly after as she won her first Ladies European Tour title in her rookie season at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in February.
While she has made a quick impression in the professional ranks, it doesn’t quite compare to the remarkable rise to prominence that fellow former Texas Tech student Ludvig Åberg has enjoyed. The pair reacquainted on Tuesday in the lead-up to the men’s competition, and Tan – who has registered six further top 20s since her win in Kenya – will hope she can outperform the Swedish star.
“It was good to see him again out here on the professional, Olympic stage, the biggest stage of golf, and great to see how we both came out of college and are on this stage right now,” she said of Åberg, who finished 18th.
Le Golf National is this week hosting a women’s professional event for the first time, so Tan has taken the chance to familiarise herself and knows what the biggest challenge will be.
“Probably the rough,” she said. “Like the rough was about 7 inches thing. But I think just keep it on the fairway and green, and you'll be all good.”
After the build-up, Tan is prepared as best she can for her latest slice of history and appears set to approach it with a fun-filled approach that she hopes could reap rewards.
)
)
)
)
