KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s top female golfer Kelly Tan is hoping to jumpstart her 2023 season through the Chevron Championship happening from April 20 to 23 in Texas.
Having missed the cut in her first three events, Tan aims to turn things around in this week’s Chevron Championship.
The opening Major of the 2023 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) season starts tomorrow at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, offering a total purse of US$5.1 million (RM22.67 million).
“I love playing in the Majors and am really excited. It has been tough this year as I have only played three events so far, and it is already almost the end of April.
“It has been hard to get into any sort of rhythm,” said the 29-year-old, who will be making her 24th start in a Major.
The Chevron Championship, previously known as the ANA Inspiration, moves away from Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs, California, for the first time since its inception in 1972.
This year’s event will be staged at Carlton Woods’ Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, which Tan has not played before.
Having enjoyed a solid 2022 where she finished 67th on the LPGA’s season-long Race to the CME Globe standings, Tan is confident she can make the rest of this year count.
“Golf is funny in how you can play great, but a couple of missed shots end your week early. Most importantly, I just want to play more golf as I have only got six rounds this season.
“There are so many great tournaments left and there are a lot of good things I can take away from the week in Hawaii,” said Tan, referring to last week’s Lotte Championship presented by Hoakalei.
Adding impetus for Tan this season is her recent appointment as Maybank’s Asean ambassador and the announcement that the LPGA will be returning to Malaysian shores with the US$3 million (RM13.33 million) Maybank Championship from October 26 to 29 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Tan tees off in the first round of The Chevron Championship tomorrow and is grouped with American Yealimi Noh and teenage Thai amateur Eila Galitsky, who earned a start by winning the 2023 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship. – The Vibes, April 19, 2023
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