Singapore’s Shannon Tan is relishing the great memories she has from Mission Hills China in 2024 as she returns for this week’s Aramco China Championship.
The 21-year-old finished in T10 in the Individual competition at last year’s event and felt a home during the week.
Although, the three-time LET winner believes the World Cup Course is playing a little longer this year so is expecting a different challenge.
“I have great memories from last year, especially finishing in the top 10,” she said. “I really enjoy this course; it suits my game well. Off the course, my favourite memory was the Chinese food options at the Mission Hills mall. At the end of a long season, it made me feel right at home. I also loved using my Chinese to order food for my friends.
“It’s playing a little differently this year. The fairways are softer, which I think makes the course play a bit longer. The greens are in much better condition, though. In terms of strategy, on the par-5s like 16 and 18, we could go for it in two last year. With the softer fairways this time, I’d assume only the longer hitters will be able to do that.
“I’m feeling pretty good about my game. My ball-striking has been solid recently, so my main focus this week is on my putting. These greens can be quite slippery in spots, so I’m making sure I’m dialled in on the greens.”
This is the final PIF Global Series event of the year following events in Riyadh in February, Seoul in May, London in August and Houston in September.
There is a 36-hole Team competition alongside a 54-hole Individual stroke play, with a cut to the top 60 professionals and ties after 36 holes.
Tan picked fellow Texas Tech University player Amy Taylor of England to be part of her team, they will also be playing alongside Norway’s Dorthea Forbrigd and India’s Diksha Dagar.
“Amy is one of my closest friends on tour, we played college golf together at Texas Tech,” she added. “We get along really well and always enjoy playing together, which is why I usually pick her for the PIF Global Series. I actually picked her for this event last year, too, and she played great. This course probably suits her game as well!”
Tan has won the Amundi German Masters and the Hero Women’s Indian Open on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in 2025 and now sits at the top of the LET Order of Merit.
With two events remaining, the Olympian has a 239.46-point lead over England’s Mimi Rhodes in the standings.
However, Tan is not focusing on the rankings and only controlling what she can control ahead of this week.
She explained: “With the Order of Merit, it’s still anyone’s game. I can’t control anyone else does, so all I can do is focus on my own game and as I usually say ‘control the controllables’. I’m approaching this event like any other event, and going to stick to the same routines and practice.
“I don’t have any big result-based goals. I’m just focusing on the small, process goals: hit fairways, hit greens, and make the putt. If I do that well, the results will take care of themselves.”
Tan will tee it up alongside her team in the Aramco China Championship on Thursday at 9.11 am (local time) at Mission Hills China.
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