De Roey victorious in Australia — Quotes from the Epson Tour
The IX: Golf Thursday with Marin Dremock, March 20, 2025
The LPGA is still on a bit of a break, so let’s catch you up with the latest from the Ladies European Tour.
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While the LPGA Tour gears up for the spring season here in the United States, the LET has been at work in Australia. Manon De Roey birdied her final hole to sneak past Cara Gainer to win the 2025 Australia Women’s Classic. This was De Roey’s third LET win.
With the win, De Roey moved into second in the Order of Merit standings, a few hundred points behind Gainer. Closing in on Gainer is going to be a task for every LET player this season since she’s always in the hunt. Gainer has had a hot start to 2025, including a win at the season opener in Morocco.
De Roey’s Sunday round of 69 (-1) was simple but enough. At the start of the day, she trailed leader Sarah Kemp by two shots. A double bogey for Kemp on the par-5 6th saw the tide turn, and De Roey was able to take a lead. It all came down to the leader in the clubhouse, though. Gainer was in at 8-under, and the pressure was on.
“I was very nervous over the final putt. There were no leaderboards out on the course so I asked my caddie [Maria Beautell] to check for me. I wanted to know if I had to hit it soft to get it up there or hit it hard to try and make the putt,” De Roey said after her win.
Ultimately, that final putt dropped, and the win was hers.
“It felt amazing,” De Roey smiled.
The LET continues its Aussie action this week at the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club. The course, on the coast of New South Wales, is a links track completely different from Coffs Harbour. De Roey and the other players from last week’s field are going to have to adjust quickly.
Links golf, especially with coastal wind, can alter not only a players’ score but their mindset. When dealing with harsh winds all week like at the Australian Women’s Classic, you can get used to the speed of gusts and direction. Coastal winds change rapidly, unpredictably. On one hole the wind’s coming from the ocean, and on the next hole, it’s swirling from the mainland. It’s frustrating.
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Despite the conditions, these players make this game look conquerable. Their mental and physical resilience is something to marvel. Us amateurs? We can only keep trying. And speaking of, the temperature is creeping upwards, so get on out there and play.
See you next week, golf fans.
This week in women’s golf
LPGA News
On this date: Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins first major championship of LPGA era
LPGA announces additional update to new pace of play policy
Final field set for 2025 Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass
Walter and Shirley Wang giving back to Los Angeles and taking the LPGA Tour to new heights
On this date: Annika Sorenstam shoots 59 at 2001 Standard Register PING
LET News
Trio pray for NSW Open triumph
De Roey reflects on “amazing” week down under
Gainer buoyed with confidence after sensational start to 2025
Watch live: 2025 Ford Women’s NSW Open
Wollongong the stage for Ford NSW Women’s Open
De Roey clinches third LET title at Australian Women’s Classic
Epson Tour News
IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture Tools of a Winner: Gina Kim
Gina Kim wins for the first time since 2022 at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture
Rookie spotlight: Yana Wilson’s bet on herself paying dividends early in 2025 season
Five at The IX: Gina Kim wins for the first time in 3 years at the 2025 IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture
On Sunday, March 16, Gina Kim outlasted her final group and six other players within two shots of the lead to win for the second time on the Epson Tour. Her last win came at the Inova Mission Inn and Resort Club Championship in 2022. Here’s what Kim had to say post-victory.
Q: Alright, I’m here with Gina Kim, our 2025 IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture winner. First thing, it’s your first time since 2022 getting in the winner’s circle. How does it feel to finally be back there?
GINA KIM: Oh, it feels great. Obviously, it’s been three years, so it’s been a hot minute since it’s happened. But you know, I think just the experience of already winning once, I took it pretty well I feel like coming down the stretch with all the pressure, and so just having that experience really helped me a lot today. I’m pretty proud of myself the way I handled it for the last few holes.
Q: Can you talk about that? This course isn’t an easy course to close out a tournament at. There’s doubles and triples and bogeys waiting around every corner out here. How do you kind of block that out and just focus on that next shot in front of you?
GINA KIM: Yeah, I mean obviously, I had a game plan already set up since the practice rounds, so I just think staying disciplined to that and really focusing on what I have to do and what the game plan is, rather than where I shouldn’t miss it. I just told myself that if it’s meant to be, it’s going to happen, and let’s not force anything and just let myself play the way I usually play, and it should take care of itself. Thankfully, it worked out okay.
Q: Just walk us through the emotions coming down that last stretch. What was going through your head? What was the thought process going down 16 and 17?
GINA KIM: Yeah, obviously, I knew I was pretty close. Obviously, I saw Minji Kang coming up, so I knew I didn’t really have that much of a margin to mess up.
So gosh, I probably wanted to throw up at least like three times coming down the last five holes. But my mom was obviously really supportive, and she told me, ‘You’re doing your best. That’s all we can ask for, and let’s just stick to the game plan and it should work itself out.’ So, you know, obviously, I’m thankful for my mom and my support team and just everyone who has helped me get this far.
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Q: Can you talk about the relationship with your mom on the bag? Is she out there giving you advice, or is it more of just, you know, a supportive figure there kind of just supporting you along the way?
GINA KIM: I think it’s a little bit of both. She’s just watched me ever since my junior golf days, so she knows my game better than anyone.
Obviously, sometimes just a cheerleader. Other times, you know, she’ll throw in a suggestion here or there. Some of her suggestions were pretty valid, so it was a good idea that I listened to some of it, but I think coming down the stretch, I think it was more encouragement because I knew I was pretty close. I just think hearing that kind of support really helped a lot.
Q: The past couple of years, you were on the LPGA. Now on the Epson Tour and looking to get back to the LPGA. What kind of confidence does this give you going forward now for the rest of the season? Obviously, it puts you in a great spot to earn that card back. What kind of confidence does that give you going forward?
GINA KIM: It gives me a lot of confidence. I think I just managed to prove to myself that I have what it takes to win again, and that was something that was lacking, I feel like for the past two years, so it’s nice to be able to see the hard work bear fruit.
I think this is going to be really good momentum going forward, and I’m hopeful I can get my LPGA Tour card back and use this as a good motivation to keep working hard and keep moving forward.
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