Homegrown heroes

Local Singapore stars Amanda Tan and Shannon Tan will bid to challenge some of Asia's best this week.

Hopes are especially high for Amanda, who is the first Singaporean to earn a card for the Epson Tour — the official qualifying circuit for the LPGA Tour.

"I am glad the event worked out well with my playing schedule on the Epson Tour, so I can be back competing on familiar ground. It is always a pleasure to compete at home so I am very excited for the week ahead," said the 24-year-old.

Shannon, a 19-year-old student at Texas Tech University, finished joint fourth in the NCAA Division 1 regionals and is also relishing the chance to compete at Laguna National, her home club.

"I am looking forward to the Singapore Ladies Masters especially because it is the first CLPGA event to be hosted at my home club, Laguna National. I hope to do well against top competitors from China and the region," she said.

Getting set to host its third global golf tour event in 2023, Laguna National is certainly well-prepared for this week's tourney.

"We always look forward to having top professional golfers from around the world come and compete on our two championship courses, the Masters and the Classic. With the Singapore Ladies Masters, we are hosting our third professional golf event this year, following the DP World Tour's Singapore Classic and LET's Aramco Team Series. I am sure the Singapore Ladies Masters will be a great success," said Kevin Kwee, Laguna's executive director.