SHANNON TAN’S OLYMPIC DEBUT
Shannon Tan flew the Singapore flag high at the Paris Olympics with a creditable 40th-place finish.
Shannon Tan completed an unforgettable week at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a final round two-over-par 74 to finish in 40th place with her four-day total of seven-over-par 295 on Saturday.
The 20-year-old made history by becoming Singapore’s first golf Olympian as she teed up at the Le Golf National this week. As the youngest golfer in the women’s golf competition, Tan also found herself in elite company where several of the world’s best golfers featured in the 60-women field.
A third-round 73 saw Shannon Tan trailing the leaders by 14 shots going into the final round.
‘It has been a great week for me. I’ve only been a pro for slightly over seven months now, so being able to qualify and play against the best at the Olympics has been such a great experience. Outside of
golf, I really enjoyed staying in the Olympic village, meeting the other Singapore athletes, and just getting the full Olympic experience!’
“This is probably the toughest golf course I’ve played this year so far, and the field is so strong with the best in the world,” said Tan.
Tan dropped three shots in her first four holes to turn in 39. She bogeyed 12 before marking her card with her first birdie on 13. She dropped another shot on 15 but would close out her round with an eagle-three on the par-five 18.
‘The eagle was definitely the highlight for me today. It’s always nice to end the tournament with a good closing hole,’ said Tan, who will remain in Europe for the next three weeks where she will compete in the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open and AIG Women’s Open in Scotland, followed by the KPMG Irish Women’s Open.
SGA President Tan Chong Huat (right) congratulates Tan after her final round.
“Shannon might not have brought home a medal. But the mental fortitude she displayed all week shows the maturity beyond her years. She’s only 20 and the future is certainly bright for her,” said Tan Chong Huat, President of the Singapore Golf Association (SGA), who was in Paris cheering Tan on.
“She’s a trailblazer for women’s golf in Singapore and has been an inspiration to many golfers. The SGA will build on her efforts and experience to further boost the ecosystem so that we can deliver a stronger squad of elite golfers, ready to compete on the world stage,” said Tan.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko completed her clean sweep of Olympic medal collection when she won gold with her winning 278 total. Ko won the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro and the bronze medal in Tokyo. Germany’s Esther Henseleit took silver while China’s Lin Xiyu clinched the bronze.
