Hong Kong golfer Tiffany Chan spends 14 days alone in her room, working out and waiting for LPGA Tour to restart
- The LPGA Tour pro isolated herself from her family in Hong Kong after returning from the US, but managed 12 days of solid workout
- Chan has not played since February because of the Covid-19 pandemic, though Tour officials are hoping to restart in mid-June
Hong Kong pro Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching spent 14 days alone in her room, unable to see her family despite living together and having food sent to her three times a day.
Now that she is out of quarantine, the 26-year-old US LPGA Tour player is doing her best to keep in shape and prepare for when play is expected to resume in mid-June after the circuit shut down in February because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She returned to Hong Kong from her base in Las Vegas and fulfilled the recommended 14 days isolation at her home in the New Territories, using the time to work out within the confines of her room.
“I couldn’t see my parents,” she said. “My mum had been sending three meals a day to my room. We tried to avoid seeing each other because it’s safer. I didn’t step out of my room for 14 days as soon as I landed in Hong Kong. It was pretty funny.
“I had couple of dumbbells at home, a yoga mat and medicine ball. And with the little space I had in my room I managed to do a whole workout for 12 days in a row.
“I took two days rest at first and I found it very boring. So I made a goal for myself and had a little workout plan. It was quite fun to accomplish what I had set out to do over the 14 days of quarantine.”
Chan, ranked 97th on the 2020 money list, last played at the Australian Open in the second week of February. She then returned to the US to prepare for a tournament in Phoenix, Arizona, before the LPGA announced the Tour was suspended amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
“I was working hard during the off season, even working towards the Olympics,” said Chan. “Everything changed and I was debating whether I should come back home from the States.
“I figured even if I return to Hong Kong, there was nothing more I could do other than golfing so I may as well stay in the States. But when the [Covid-19] situation in the US became more serious, I decided to come back to Hong Kong. Because, if I get sick or anything, it just gets harder if I was in the States.”
Chan’s hopes of a few practice rounds on the golf courses were dashed soon after returning when the government ordered all facilities closed. She has managed a few sessions at a driving range but she is mostly restricted to working out at home.
On the plus side, she is able to spend time with her family and fellow Hong Kong golfer and Canto-pop star Stephanie Ho Ngan-si. She is now looking forward to when the LPGA Tour resumes.
The Tour has tentatively slated June 19 as its restart date with the Arkansas Championship, followed by tournaments every week until the end of September – all of it depending on whether the coronavirus threat has eased.
As of Friday, the US recorded close to 700,000 infections and nearly 35,000 deaths from Covid-19, while Hong Kong had 1,021 infections, four deaths and four new cases.
“As of now, I only know the LPGA schedule and have no idea when the Hong Kong Open is going to be rescheduled for,” said Chan, who praised her sponsor, EFG, for continuing to support her. “I will make good use of this down time. I will get my fitness going and at least I’ll be doing something to keep myself active.
“I’ve been staying in touch with some fellow pros through FaceTime and I’ve been catching up with my friends. No one has been golfing for three or four weeks so they are getting bored. But health wise, they are all doing well.”
