{"id":19530,"date":"2024-02-11T09:39:15","date_gmt":"2024-02-11T08:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ladiesingolf.com\/?p=19530"},"modified":"2024-02-12T09:40:11","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T08:40:11","slug":"trailblazer-tan-secures-maiden-let-victory-at-kenya-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ladiesingolf.com\/en\/trailblazer-tan-secures-maiden-let-victory-at-kenya-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Trailblazer Tan secures maiden LET victory at Kenya Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shannon Tan created history at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open<\/strong> becoming first Singaporean to win on the Ladies European Tour (LET).<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old started the day in a share of the lead alongside Italy\u2019s Alessandra Fanali on nine-under-par at Vipingo Ridge.<\/p>\n

Tan rolled in birdies on holes two, three and five to put herself in pole position before dropping a shot on the sixth.<\/p>\n

However, she made another birdie on seven before making a bogey on the eighth and her final birdie came on 11 for a round of 70 (-3) to seal a four-shot victory with a total of 12-under-par.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was quite close between us until hole 16, there was only one or two shots difference the whole time,\u201d said Tan. \u201cIt was a good battle she gave me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still stuck to my gameplan throughout. I just tried to hit every fairway and every green I can \u2013 that was my gameplan throughout the whole day and that\u2019s how it stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The teenager secured her full LET card at Lalla Aicha Q-School in December while still an amateur and was making her first start on the LET as a pro.<\/p>\n

It is the second professional victory for Tan in her career, after she won the Singapore Ladies Masters on the China LPGA Tour in July 2023, but her first since turning professional.<\/p>\n

She explained: \u201cIt was a tough decision to begin with but I\u2019m glad I made it now! It\u2019s a good thing because juniors back home know it\u2019s possible and that anything is possible, and it can push them a little bit and inspire them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will go into every event with the same mindset and target and just trying to do my best and just control the controllables. I can\u2019t control what other people do, but just what I can do. I will just try to stick to my gameplan throughout the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Italy\u2019s Alessandra Fanali finished in second place in the season-opener having produced a round of 74 (+1) on the final day.<\/p>\n

The Italian started with a birdie on the second but soon made a bogey on the fifth, she then went birdie-bogey on holes seven and eight.<\/p>\n

Fanali made another birdie on 15 but back-to-back bogeys on 16 and 17 put an end to her hopes of a first LET victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a very good week for me, I\u2019m very proud of myself,\u201d said Fanali. \u201cI came into this week just trying to test my game and see where I was.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried. I gave myself a chance but my putts didn\u2019t really want to go in. It\u2019s okay, next week is another week, and we will see what\u2019s going to happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple more putts would have dropped and it would have been a lot easier to catch up some shots on the last holes, but it is what it is. It probably was meant to be for me, but it\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very proud of my game, I\u2019m hitting shots very well. My irons, off the tee, my short game was very good and putting was very good as well. I\u2019m very happy, it was a good week to start the season and we will keep it for the next couple of weeks on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five players ended the week in a share of third place with Manon De Roey, Ana Pel\u00e1ez Trivino<\/a>, Alice Hewson, Nataliya Guseva and Chiara Tamburlini<\/em> <\/strong>all on four-under-par.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It was an emotional day for Tamburlini, who carded a round of 72 which included six birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey.<\/p>\n

There were two spots up for grabs for next week\u2019s Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF with Tan securing the first spot and after countback, it was Tamburlini who got the final place ahead of Guseva.<\/p>\n

Two-time LETAS winner said: \u201cI\u2019m very overwhelmed right now. It\u2019s been incredible. I had quite the bumpy finish, but I was able to get myself together again. It was an amazing experience to be here and to be in contention and playing with all the other players.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredible having just started my professional career and being able to play in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. Deep down that been my goal for this week, I felt it was too ambitious but the fact it came true was too sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three players finished in a tie for eighth place with two-time LET winner Alexandra F\u00f6rsterling alongside rookies Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen and Aunchisa Utama.<\/p>\n

Just outside the top 10 was Germany\u2019s Laura Fuenfstueck who fired the round of the day with a 67 (-6).<\/p>\n

Next week the LET heads to Riyadh for the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF<\/strong><\/a> which takes place from February 15-18.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shannon Tan created history at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open becoming first Singaporean to win on the Ladies European Tour (LET). The 19-year-old started the day in a share of the lead alongside Italy\u2019s Alessandra Fanali on nine-under-par at Vipingo Ridge. Tan rolled in birdies on holes two, three and five to put herself<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":19526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[]},"categories":[45,893,864,881],"tags":[3786,921,3734,3788,3638,917,920,3787],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t