Belgian golfer Manon De Roey has secured her third Ladies European Tour title with a one under par final round at Coffs Harbour Golf Club, as challengers faltered in tough conditions at the Australian Women’s Classic.
Needing a birdie to win, the 33-year-old sank a 10-foot downhill putt on the difficult par-4 18th hole to claim her first victory in Australia. Her winning putt was one of only a handful of birdies made on the finishing hole and was enough to separate her from LET Order of Merit leader, England’s Cara Gainer.
Related LINKS:
Tournament Website
Final Scores
Rd1 Wrap: NSW Duo in the mix
KEMP: Round of my LIFE
As challenges came and went, De Roey delivered one of the shots of the tournament, hitting it close on 18 to give herself a chance to make the decisive putt.
Starting two shots behind Australian veteran and overnight leader Sarah Kemp, De Roey claimed her sixth professional worldwide win—and her first of 2025—in only her second start, having missed the cut at February’s Founders Cup in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“I’ve been coming to Australia since 2017. I just love the country and Coffs Harbour especially. I’m really happy,” she said.
With no leaderboards on the course, De Roey didn’t know what she needed to do until she reached the final green. Feeling the pressure, she put her head down and focused.
“I was very nervous, and there were no leaderboards out on the course, so I asked my caddy to check what I needed to do for this putt because it was kind of downhill, down-grain,” she said.
“I wanted to know how to hit it—soft and just put it there or really go for it. (My caddy) said the last girl in was at -8. So, it felt really good to make that putt. I mean, I’m very happy with that.”
Sarah Kemp, Australia’s best hope in the event after a career-best round of 62 yesterday, struggled to the finish line, her movement clearly hampered by the effects of a broken leg sustained in a cart accident last July. Kemp stumbled to her worst round of the week (74), while Thai sensation Arpo Wongras was unable to sustain her blistering start and mount a back-nine challenge.
Considered only a slight chance of winning after an opening two-over 72, Avondale’s Grace Kim made a charge with six birdies in her four-under round of 67. The 24-year-old will rue missed opportunities on the back nine, where she failed to birdie either of the two par 5s and recorded back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes.
The early challenge in the penultimate group came from 17-year-old Thai star Arpo Wongras, whose back-to-back chip-in birdies at holes three and four ignited the galleries. The humble teenager attributed those shots to luck and admitted that some wayward drives on the back nine hurt her chances.
When asked what she would take away from the event, she spoke about gaining confidence.
“You have to build confidence in your golf game and learn to trust yourself,” she said.
“Then you just go out and play. I’ve really enjoyed competing with the girls at this event and seeing people like Sarah (Kemp), who we admire. I mean, she is still one of the best players in the world.
“You always feel the nerves. It’s about how you manage them. If you can understand yourself and cope with it, that should be enough.”
The highest-placed amateur in the event was Korea’s Hyojin Yang, who started her final round at three-over and finished with a 71 to end at +4 for the championship—four shots ahead of Sydney’s Rachel Lee.
The tour now moves to Wollongong Golf Club in the heart of the Illawarra for the Ford Women’s NSW Open.