In Singapore, becoming a professional golfer isn’t just rare — it’s a gamble in Monaco against the best. With the sport here lacking a deep bench of local pros, an established golfing culture, or predictable financial backing, the odds are stacked against anyone who tries.
Knowing this, Ryan Ang made the deliberate choice to study for a Bachelor of Accountancy degree at SMU, not because he planned to work in a firm, but because he wanted a toolkit — something solid to fall back on, and something that could potentially serve as a foundation to manage the business side of a sports career.
“I wanted a solid foundation,” he said. “Accountancy gave me tools I knew I’d need — especially in managing things like taxes, contracts, and currencies in the future. And it felt broader than just crunching numbers. There was business law, analytics, electives — a full picture.”
This academic background now forms the safety net for Ryan, who has a vision that extends far beyond birdies and bunkers. He hopes to qualify for the Olympics and break into higher-level tours, honing his golfing skills to his maximum potential.
Juggling a sporting career and studies
Golfing for Ryan Ang started out simply enough: a junior programme at Singapore Island Country Club (SICC), playing with a few friends, and family outings to lush, open courses. “That first golf holiday — maybe Indonesia? — it hit me. Golf was everywhere. You could travel and play. I was hooked,” he said.
A serious shift came in 2020, when Ryan joined the Singapore national team just as COVID-19 hit. Over four years, he represented the country at the SEA Games, Asian Games, and multiple World Amateur Championships, earning recognition not just for his talent but his consistency.
Of course, balancing full-time studies alongside golfing at top levels presented no shortage of hurdles. Ryan often missed three to four weeks of class each semester while competing overseas. But classmates and faculty such as Professor Seow Poh Sun, Associate Dean (Teaching and Curriculum), rallied around him.
“Prof Seow listened. He understood what I was trying to do — and he helped make it possible,” Ryan said.
School and student came to a compromise: Ryan could miss class without formally deferring his studies. Professors offered support, classmates pitched in, and he carried textbooks across time zones, sometimes studying on flights or revising after rounds.
“I didn’t want to let anyone down. I didn’t want to be that group mate or student who didn’t pull his weight.”
His academic performance never dipped, with Ryan even making the Dean’s List for Academic Year 2020/21. At the same time, Ryan remained committed to the SMU community, mentoring junior students, leading the SMU Golf Club, and even co-leading an overseas community project that taught conversational English to Vietnamese students.
“It sounds like a lot, but it was never about padding a résumé,” he said. “It was about staying grounded. Giving back.”
Setting a safety net
The decision to turn professional, as well as the timing to take that leap was a decision made with careful thought.
Still an amateur golfer at the time, Ryan received invitations to professional events like the Asian Tour and the Singapore stops of the European Tour. At these events, he performed better than most expected, sometimes matching or even outperforming local professionals.
“That was the catalyst. I realised: I can compete.”
But turning pro wasn’t just about having the talent. With other concerns such as financial pressures and the uncertainty of Qualifying School (the annual qualifiers for leading pro golfing tours like the PGA) looming, Ryan made the call to finish his SMU Accountancy degree and secure himself a safety net before taking the plunge as a pro.
In 2024, shortly after graduating, Ryan passed Qualifying School for the PGA Tour of Australasia in brutal conditions — four days of cold, wind, and pressure. He later secured a full tour card on the China Tour, where he now travels with a small cohort of fellow Singaporean players.
In 2024, shortly after graduating, Ryan passed Qualifying School for the PGA Tour of Australasia in brutal conditions — four days of cold, wind, and pressure. He later secured a full tour card on the China Tour, where he now travels with a small cohort of fellow Singaporean players.
Learning confidence and laying down a path to the future
While golf gave Ryan discipline, it was SMU that gave him structure — and the confidence to believe he could thrive in both arenas.
“The whole curriculum was really well-rounded,” Ryan reflected. “Each module and professor had a role to play in building what felt like a very complete package for us accounting students.”
He arrived at SMU shy and reserved, unsure of how he would navigate both academia and athletics. But the demands of the programme — the presentations, group work, real-time feedback, and the high expectations — gradually transformed him.
“I came into SMU a pretty timid student,” he said. “But I left feeling disciplined, organised, outspoken — and confident. That growth showed up in the classroom and eventually on the golf course too.”
The routines he built around coursework translated into pre-shot rituals. The ability to stay composed during final presentations helped him steady his nerves on the green. And the simple fact that he could succeed at both — carrying a full course load while competing for his country — gave him a mental edge.
“It solidified my confidence,” Ryan said. “Knowing I could juggle both studies and golf gave me a huge boost. It proved to me that I belonged.”
And while Ryan doesn’t see himself in a traditional accounting role post-golf, he sees the degree as a crucial part of his identity. “Whether it’s data analytics in sports or helping athletes build high-performance systems, I know I have tools that go beyond the golf course.”
Lining up the shot for future accomplishments
Today, Ryan plays roughly 25 weeks a year abroad. He works with a tight-knit support team that includes psychologists, nutritionists, and fitness coaches. Sponsors like Sport Singapore, Singapore Golf Association, and EFG Bank have helped alleviate financial pressures — allowing him to focus purely on his performance.
Ryan’s aspirations as a professional golfer extend into the future, with an eagerness to see what challenges await him. For now, he’s focused on his next big goal: to represent Singapore in the Olympics.
Ryan’s story is proof that high performance doesn’t need to come at the expense of education — or character. He is, by his own admission, a product of discipline and support. A golfer with an accountant’s foresight. A student with an athlete’s nerve.
And in a country still growing into its sporting ambitions, that might just be par for a new kind of course.
The SMU Edge:
Ryan credits the strong support system he found in SMU for enabling him to succeed amid the flurry of balancing classwork and his growing commitments on the green as an amateur golfer. Besides this, SMU’s pedagogy also played a big role in transforming Ryan into a more confident and outspoken student and golfer.
- Building confidence through classroom participation
SMU’s seminar-style classes push students to speak up and exchange ideas – all of which helps mould them into active and confident participators, rather than backseat observers.
- A supportive community
The SMU faculty is committed to supporting each student to excel, with professors taking the time to check in on Ryan, ensuring he was on the right track and wasn’t falling behind in classes even as golfing competitions kept him out of the classroom for weeks at a time.
See also: #TalentsOfSMU: Ryan Ang | SMU Undergraduate Singapore