LPGA Tour: Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan hails coach Ian Godleman after making second cut in a row
- Hong Kong professional says her coach has helped to improve her short game over the past year
- Chan also made the cut in her opening tournament of the 2020 season at Boca Raton, Florida in January
Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching made the cut on the LPGA Tour for the second tournament in a row on Friday, praising the impact of coach Ian Godleman on her short game.
The 26-year-old Chan shot a second straight 70 to lie five-under-par 140 and a tie for 33rd heading into the third round of the Vic Open in Australia.
Chan met Godleman on the Thursday of last year’s tournament where she failed to make the cut and then dropped out of the Australian Open because she was struggling for form. She has since been working with the highly regarded coach and feels his input has helped improve her game.
“I’m feeling pretty good, been playing quite consistent the last two days,” said Chan, who trails leader Madalene Sagstrom, of Sweden, by eight shots. “I managed to pull a couple of great shots out there and made some good putts so I’m looking forward to my first weekend at the Vic Open.
“I have been working a lot with my coach, Ian. We have been working on some changes in the last year and my results have been gradually going up. And in the off season we’ve been working on some more techniques for my short game and wedges.
“I feel really confident around the green right now. I could scramble pretty nicely, so I’m really thankful to him for teaching me some techniques.”
Chan also made the cut in her opening event of the new season in Boca Raton, Florida, which was won by Sagstrom.
Former Hong Kong Ladies Open winner Chan hit five birdies and two bogies in her three-under round. She was particularly pleased about saving par on the par-five second hole, in which she was forced to lay up and pulled her drive. From 190 yards she found the greenside bunker but blasted out to within six feet and holed the par putt.
“I guess that started my round pretty nicely because I birdied the first hole and I just kept on going. I hit a couple of great shots too, to about three or four feet so I had some good birdies out there,” she said.
The tournament is being played over two courses – the par-73 Creek and par-72 Beach. It features male and female professionals playing in alternate groups. Chan played the Creek course on Friday and returns to the more difficult Beach Course – where she shot 70 on Thursday – for round three on Saturday.
Sagstrom, meanwhile, continued her strong recent form and held a one-stroke lead over American Ally McDonald after two rounds.
The Swede shot a five-under 67 on the Beach on Friday for a two-round total of 13-under 132. McDonald shot an eight-under 65 on the Creek Course.
