Aramco Team Series: Belgium’s Manon De Roey breaks Ladies European Tour duck in Bangkok
Belgium’s Manon de Roey has had to be patient, but her maiden win on the Ladies’ European Tour was worth the wait.
The 30-year-old, who first joined the tour in 2016, broke her duck in style by winning the individual title at the first $1m Aramco Team Series event of the season in Bangkok on Saturday.
And De Roey did it by overhauling home favourite and major winner Patty Tavatanakit in sweltering conditions in Thailand.
She shot a blemish-free six-under-par final round of 66 to finish on 13 under, while 2021 ANA Inspiration champion Tavatanakit dropped out of contention with a 73.
“It feels great. I was waiting for this for a long time so I’m very happy,” said De Roey.
“It was actually a really good day. 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.”
World No13 Tavatanakit finished four shots back in a share of third with Scotland’s Kylie Henry, who shot a closing 69. Swede Johanna Gustavsson took outright second on 10 under.
De Roey’s win had been coming: she was tied for third at the Madrid Ladies Open last time out and fourth at the Asian Mixed Stableford before that.
She praised the format of the series, which sees squads of four compete for a team title over the first two days, for helping to get her over the line this time.
“I have a pretty good record in the Aramco Team Series events. I love it,” she said. “The first few days I really played for the team. They really pushed to make a lot of birdies.”
Tavatanakit may have fallen short in the individual competition but there was Thai success in the team tournament, won by Whitney Hillier’s fourball on Friday.
Australian Hillier’s mother is from Thailand, while her team was inspired to victory on Friday by Bangkok local Chonlada Chayanun.
“I’m so proud of my team,” said Hillier, for whom this was also a first win after a decade on
the Ladies European Tour.
“Everything just flowed and obviously we played great golf, but we had a lot of fun, so that was the most important thing,” she said.
“I’m very, very proud of my team. To get this win is very special. This is my 10th year on Tour, and for my first win to be in a team event, that’s pretty cool.”