MARRAKECH, Morocco — Ex-Lobo golfer Manon De Roey made it to Sunday’s final round in her attempt to qualify for the 2015 Ladies European Tour, but De Roey’s final card of 75 did not bring her a full-time exempt status on the LET.
However, making the cut in the grueling LET qualifying tournament gives De Roey limited access to LET events.
“I’m so proud and happy,” De Roey said via email to her former coach, Jill Trujillo, and Lobo teammates. “I ended up in the Top 60 which means that I get category 9b and can participate in a considerable number of tournaments on the 2015 Tour.”
The 9b status will give De Roey some occasional tee times on the LET, but also will allow her to play on the mini LET (LETAS) which De Roey says might be “more comfortable both mentally and financially.” The travel expenses on the LET can be considerable. The 2014 LET Tour hit 17 countries.
De Roey fired a solid 72 on Saturday to make the cut for the final 18 holes (top 60 plus ties out of 120 golfers), but her 75 on Sunday left her with a five-round card of 368. The 2015 LET cards went to golfers at 361 or better. De Roey finished with a card of 73-72-76-72-75-368.
The top 30 golfers plus ties received exempt status on the 2015 LET. De Roey was one of 21 amateurs vying for her card.
Danish amateur Nanna Madsen tied the tournament record with her nine-under par 63 in the last round of Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Qualifying to earn a two stroke victory and access to the 2015 Ladies European Tour.
Sunday was a day for birdies in Morocco as six of the golfers in the Top 10 shot in the 60s with Madsen’s 63 leading the way. Madsen made six birdies on the back nine.
The event was held in Marrakech, Morocco with golfers from 32 counties competing for LET cards. The 34 players who earned LET cards represented 17 countries and had to shoot one-over par or better over five grueling days of golf.
Madsen, from Copenhagen, had a 90-hole total of 343 – 17-under par. England’s Georgia Hall, who led most of the way, shot a 71 in Sunday’s final round and finished at 15-under par (345). Hall had a six-stroke lead going into Sunday’s final round.
The 2015 Ladies European Tour season gets under way with the RACV Ladies Masters in Queensland on February 12, after a seven week break from tournament golf.
De Roey, who graduated from UNM in 2014, has experienced success both on European courses and as a collegiate golfer for the Lobos.
In the summer of 2013, De Roey won the Belgium Women’s National Stroke Play tournament by two shots and also finished third in the chase for the St. Rule (Scotland) Trophy. She also finished tied for 10th in the European Ladies’ Amateur Championships that drew golfers from 24 countries.
De Roey won the 2013 Mountain West individual title as a Lobo and is a former medalist at the Colorado State invite. De Roey is one of only four Lobos to ever win at least two tournaments in the same academic year.
The Ladies European Tour (LET) is the top professional level in Europe. It was formed in 1978. There were 23 LET tournaments held in 17 countries in 2014.