Shannon Tan has always understood the power of seeing someone who looks like you succeed.
This week, at the 18th edition of the HSBC Women’s World Championship, the 21-year-old returns to Sentosa not just as Singapore’s top-ranked golfer, but as someone the next generation is now watching.
Fresh off a breakthrough 2025 season that saw her capture the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit title, Tan is back on home soil, ready to test herself against the very best in the world.
A Season That Changed Everything
Tan’s rise over the past year has been sharp and steady. Two victories on the Ladies European Tour, in Germany and India, along with six top-10 finishes, pushed her to World No. 90.
Competing this week on a sponsor’s invitation, she will tee it up alongside nine of the world’s top 10 players at The Tanjong, Sentosa Golf Club.
Last year, she finished tied-34th on her tournament debut. This time, she arrives more experienced, more confident, and more aware of what she is capable of.
“Having two Singaporeans in the field this year is a good thing to showcase Singapore golf on the world stage,” Tan said. “I know what it’s like to look up to someone and want to be like them. It’s important to have role models.”
From Starstruck to Settled
Even with her rapid rise, Tan admits there are still moments that remind her how far she has come.
“I still get starstruck sometimes when I see players like Lydia Ko,” she said. “When I played last year, I was definitely more starstruck than I am now.”
Over the past year, she has shared fairways with the same players she once watched on television at events like the British Open and the Evian Championship. The nerves are still there, but they are different now. Less awe and more belonging.
“I’ve got to know some of them personally, but having watched them when I was a teenager and then being in the same field as them, that really means a lot to me.”
A Field Stacked with Champions
If history tells us anything, it is that this championship rewards the very best. 15 of the past 17 editions have been won by major champions, a statistic that underlines why the event is widely regarded as ‘Asia’s Major’.
Among those in contention is Yin Ruoning, one of the LPGA Tour’s brightest stars. The 23-year-old made history in 2023 when she won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at just 20, becoming only the second Chinese woman, after Feng Shanshan, to capture a major.
Yin later rose to World No. 1 and has already collected five LPGA titles in a career that has moved faster than she expected.
“I think my achievements are far ahead of what I expected,” Yin said. “When I first joined the LPGA Tour, I thought it would take me about three years just to get used to competing at this level.”
Instead, she reached the summit early. Now in her fifth season, she returns to Singapore determined to improve on last year’s tied-21st finish.
“Each week is the same for me because I want to win every tournament I play,” she said. “I feel my game is getting better every week. I just need to put all the pieces together.”
Charley Hull also arrives in strong form after winning the PIF Saudi Ladies International. The World No. 3 finished tied fourth in Singapore last year and believes the course will demand more this time.
“It’s actually playing a lot longer this year, and it’s going to be trickier,” Hull said. “There’s a bit of rain, so the ball is not rolling out as much. You can always play aggressively around here.”
The tropical heat, she added, remains a factor.
“The main thing is just to try and keep going on because it’s so hot.”
