Tan set to tee off in Bangkok

VALERIE TAN, Brunei's first professional lady golfer is confident she will make the cut at the Ladies Asian Golf Tour Thailand Ladies Open 2012.

The Brunei Times met up with Tan at the Brunei International Airport yesterday as she was about to depart.

Tan shared that last year she had played at the same event and missed the cut by just one shot.

This year she said she is more prepared and is confident she will do better.

"Last year, I shot about four-over on the first day and two-over on the second day. I was six-over and the cut was five-over. I know I was at the borderline. I was about to finish but then I finished with a bogey," explained Tan.

Tan further explained that she bogeyed on the last hole at last year's tournament "to miss the cut by one".

"It was heart breaking but I'm ready to go back there. It's the same golf course, so I know the layout and stuff. I'm ready to go back and play for my position," Tan said.

Asked what position is she expecting to be in, Tan replied: "For this year, it's a new year, I know I will make the cut for sure. I'm confident. I'm ready. I'll just make the cut and for now, give me top 30," said Tan.

The prize for the three-day Ladies Asian Golf Tour Thailand Ladies Open 2012 is US $150,000.

It will begin on Feb 8 and continue until February 10, 2012. The tournament will be played in Bangkok at the Lakewood Country Club.

Last month at the pre-qualifying stages of the Ladies European Tour 2012 Qualifying School, Tan ended the final round with a score of three-over on the Par-74 North course for a total of 19-over 305 at the La Manga Club at Cartagena, in Murcia, Spain.

The score meant that she was not featured in the final qualifying round of the Ladies European Tour 2012 Qualifying School.

The 25-year-old, however, believed that the experience will help her prepare for the competition in Thailand, despite both competitions being played in very different conditions.

"The conditions (between Spain and Thailand) are a little bit different," said Tan.

"For one, in Spain it was freezing and Thailand is super hot. The golf course layout, everything is different," she added.

"I'm pretty much all set and ready to go out there and have fun and enjoy myself. I think the scores will be pretty good," Tan said confidently.The Brunei Times