Monique Smit (golfer)

Monique Smit (born 26 February 1991) is a South African professional golfer playing on the Ladies European Tour (LET). She was runner-up at the 2020 South African Women's Open and won the 2020 Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit.[1]

Monique Smit
Personal information
Born (1991-02-26) 26 February 1991
Nelspruit, South Africa
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Sporting nationality South Africa
ResidenceGeorge, Western Cape, South Africa
Career
Turned professional2012
Current tour(s)Ladies European Tour (joined 2012)
Sunshine Ladies Tour (joined 2014)
Professional wins4
Best results in LPGA major championships
Chevron ChampionshipDNP
Women's PGA C'shipDNP
U.S. Women's OpenDNP
Women's British OpenCUT: 2020
Evian ChampionshipDNP
Achievements and awards
Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit2020

Amateur career

Smit had a championship-winning amateur career including four titles on the 2005 Ernie Els Junior Tour and was a two-time Gus Ackermann Champion, in 2010 and 2011.[2] She won the Western Province Stroke Play Championship in 2008 and 2011. She joined the National Team and represented South Africa internationally from the age of 15 including at the 2008 Espirito Santo Trophy[3] and the 2008 All Africa Challenge Trophy, where she was the individual winner. She won titles on three different continents, having triumphed at the Jakarta World Junior Championship and Gosh Leinster Championship in Ireland.[4]

Professional career

Smit turned professional in 2012 and joined the LET. She secured her first professional win on the 2014 Sunshine Ladies Tour, at the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am, setting a new course record of 63 at Oubaai Golf Club.[5] In 2014, she also won the SuperSport Ladies Challenge and was runner-up at the Zambia Ladies Open. In 2016, she won the Tshwane Ladies Open before an injury caused a four-year lay-off from tour.[1]

Staging a comeback, Smit earned her full Ladies European Tour card for 2020 at qualifying school, winning a four-way playoff for the 20th and last card.[6][7] On the 2020 Ladies European Tour, she was runner-up at the Investec South African Women's Open, one stroke behind Alice Hewson who won in her first start as a rookie member of the tour.[8]

Smit won the 2020 Joburg Ladies Open[9] and 2020 Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit.[10]

Amateur wins
  • 2005 Ernie Els Junior Tour
  • 2007 KZN Junior Championship
  • 2008 Western Province Stroke Play Championship, Jakarta World Junior Championship, All Africa Challenge Trophy (Individual)
  • 2010 Gus Ackermann Championship, Gosh Leinster Championship
  • 2011 Gus Ackermann Championship, Guateng Matchplay Championship, Western Province Stroke Play Championship

Source:[4]

Professional wins (4)

Sunshine Ladies Tour wins (4)
  • 2014 (2) Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am, Supersport Ladies Challenge
  • 2016 (1) Ladies Tshwane Open
  • 2020 (1) Joburg Ladies Open

Results in LPGA majors
Tournament2020
ANA Inspiration
U.S. Women's Open
Women's PGA Championship
The Evian Championship NT
Women's British Open CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament

Team appearances

Amateur

References
  1. "Monique Smit Player Profile". Ladies European Tour. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  2. "5 Amazing South African Female Golfers". Inspiring Women. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. "World Amateur Team Championships - Women's Records". International Golf Federation. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. "2012 LET Media Guide". Ladies European Tour. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  5. "Smit claims maiden win at DiData Ladies Pro-Am". LET Access Series. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  6. "Monique Smit qualifies for European Ladies Tour Card". PGA South Africa. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  7. "Teenager Babnik secures LET card". R & A. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  8. "LET Rookie Alice Hewson wins Investec South African Women's Open". Ladies European Tour. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  9. "Smit claims emotional victory in Soweto". Sunshine Ladies Tour. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  10. "Where is our next ladies Major winner?". Golf RSA. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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