Singapore golfer Shannon Tan finishes second at Jabra Ladies Open in boost ahead of Evian C’ship

Singaporean golfer Shannon Tan placed second at the Jabra Ladies Open, two strokes behind champion Sara Kouskova. PHOTO: TRISTAN JONES/LET

Kimberly Kwek

UPDATED May 25, 2025, 03:51 AM

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SINGAPORE – A second-placed finish at the Jabra Ladies Open in France on May 24 has given Singaporean golfer Shannon Tan a boost ahead of the July 10-13 Evian Championship, her first Major of the 2025 season.

With both tournaments played at the Evian Resort Golf Club’s The Champions Course in Evian-les-Bains, the 21-year-old is excited to return to the venue after a creditable showing this week.

Her confidence stems from a remarkable comeback on the final day of the €300,000 (S$440,000) Jabra Ladies Open, as she carded a three-under 68 in the third round of the event for an eight-under 205 total, two strokes behind champion Sara Kouskova (67) of the Czech Republic.

Pleased with how she handled herself mentally, the world No. 126 said: “Overall I am proud of the way I played this week.

“It is always nice to be in contention and while I missed out on the win here, there are positives to take away.

“I struggled on this course in my rookie year last year and finished tied-54th, so to be where I am today feels like a massive improvement which I can be proud of.”

Tan, a one-time Ladies European Tour (LET) winner, entered the final round in third after climbing from tied-17th with a second-round 67, following an opening 70.

But her third round got off to a rough start after she opened with a double bogey, before dropping another shot in the second hole.

She bounced back by firing six birdies from holes No. 3 to 16 to claim a share of the lead with Kouskova.

However, it was the 25-year-old Czech who held firm to secure her maiden title as she closed out her round with two birdies to secure the €45,000 top prize, while Tan managed a birdie and a bogey, bagging €27,000 for finishing second.

Competition was stiff throughout the tournament. England’s Cara Gainer (67) and Morocco’s Maha Haddioui (67) were one stroke behind Tan in joint third, with five others within five strokes of the lead.

Reflecting on her round, Tan said: “It definitely wasn’t the start I was hoping for... I reminded myself that it was still early and there was a lot of golf left to be played. 

“After the first two holes, I tried to reset and calm myself down, going back to my mantra of playing one shot at a time and making sure I stick to my routine.”

Tan is looking forward to a return to the venue for the US$8 million (S$10.3 million) Evian Championship, where she made her Major debut in 2024.

While she did not progress to the weekend after coming in tied-120th, she made history a month later at the Women’s British Open in Scotland, where she became the first Singapore woman to make the cut at a Major.

“Playing well on this course gives me more confidence heading into the Evian Championship. It is a challenging layout and I didn’t do well last year, so I really wanted to come back this year and change that,” said Tan, who earned a spot in the 2025 edition based on her sixth placing in the 2024 LET Order of Merit.

“I am excited to return for the Major and hopefully build on what I have achieved this week. The course will also likely be set up differently for a Major, so there is still work to be done.”

This is Tan’s best finish since she ended joint-second at the Hero Women’s Indian Open in October 2024.

She started the 2025 season by finishing third at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco, then in the top 15 on two occasions in six other LET events this year before the Jabra Ladies Open.

Tan said: “It is always tough to come that close, but at the same time, it is a good thing that I am putting myself in the position to contend more often.

“Each time I learn a little bit more, and I know I just need to be patient and keep doing what I am doing.”

Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing.

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