Hong Kong's Tiffany Chan got off to an inspiring start at the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women's Open when she aced her career's maiden hole-in-one en route to an opening four-under-par 68.
The 29-year-old accomplished the extraordinary feat on the par-three 16th of the Tanah Merah Country Club's Tampines Course, holing out from 123 yards with a nine-iron.
"It's my first one!" said a delighted Chan, who is ranked the world number 371.
"I looked up and it hit the pin. I had holed out from the fairway but never from the tee box.
"Being able to witness it and see the ball going in the middle of the hole is one of the biggest achievements I can get from golfing."
The ace arrived moments after Chan birdied her fourth hole of the day, the 13th, as she made the turn in three-under 33.
Chan then bogeyed the par-four first which turned out to be her sole blemish of the day, but she made amends by gaining two more strokes on the par-five fifth and eighth to finish the day in a tie for ninth and just three shots back of leaders Hyun-kyung Park and Yun-ji Jeong.
Chan, who is Hong Kong's sole representative on the LPGA Tour, is pleased to be part of the 102-player field of the inaugural Hana Financial Group Singapore Women's Open, which serves as the season-opener of both the KLPGA Tour and Ladies Asian Tour Series.
This week's appearance was Chan's fourth on the KLPGA Tour, having previously featured once in the 2016 Kia Motors Korea Women's Open and twice in the Kumho Tire Women's Open in China in 2014 and 2016.
Being a regular on the LPGA Tour since 2019, Chan claimed her rivals she is taking on this week are comparable to the ones on the US circuit.
"This is the first time I'm playing in a KLPGA event as a professional. The KLPGA Tour is very similar to the LPGA Tour, the standard is so high, all the Korean players and let's not forget also the rest of the Asian-Pacific field.
"Princess (Mary Superal of the Philippines), who has won (Simone Asia-Pacific Cup) in Indonesia (in August), Atthaya (Thitikul world number three of Thailand), so it's as strong as the LPGA I would say.
"The weather is tough to deal with as it's more humid here. But everyone is quite used to it, so you got to be extra good to play in this weather."
Ends.
