Belgium’s Manon De Roey bagged the Ladies European Tour’s first Aramco Team Series title of the season after carding a bogey-free six-under-par closing round at Thai Country Club.
De Roey kept her cool in stifling temperatures to topple local hero and overnight leader Patty Tavatanakit and earn her first career win.
World no.13 Tavatanakit led by two after the second round, cementing her as favourite to claim the crown in the three-day event’s $500,000 individual competition. But as the 2021 ANA Inspiration champion struggled to a final day one-over-par 73, playing partner De Roey flourished, finding six birdies as she romped to a three-shot victory and her maiden Tour title.
“It feels great,” said De Roey – the first Belgian to win an LET title in 25 years. “I was waiting for this for a long time so I’m very happy. “I started quite strongly. I was hitting it quite close, made birdie on the second. I just stayed patient and I dropped in some good putts. I’ve been working hard on my game, just trying to stay patient for the win. I was really hoping for this last year, so I’m really happy I got it now this year.”
The 30-year-old added: “I have a pretty good record in the Aramco Team Series events – I’ve picked good teams! But I love it. The first few days I really played for the team. They really pushed to make a lot of birdies. Yeah, super happy. I mean, it’s been a long time for me. I fought really hard and I’m happy I came through.”
Three solid under-par rounds from Johanna Gustavsson were enough to earn the Swede a second placed finish as her strong early season form continued in the Thai capital.
Played over three days, this was the first Aramco Team Series tournament to run under 2022’s new format, in which its $500,000 prize-fund team element – where three LET professionals team up with an amateur golfer – is battled out over only 36 holes. That title was claimed a day earlier by Team Hillier: Australian Whitney Hillier, Krista Bakker of Finland, Thailand’s Chonlada Chayanun, and Bangkok businessman Pattanan Amatanon.
Now up to five events per season, the Aramco Team Series next heads to the UK for the Aramco Team Series – London, which will take place at Centurion Club in St Albans, Hertfordshire from June 16-18. For early bird tickets, which cost £5 per day, click here.