Interview with Frenchwoman Valentine Derrey, 32, victorious on the LET in Turkey, almost six years ago.

Valentine Derrey, during the final of the European cards, last week at La Manga

Valentine Derrey, during the final of the European cards, last week at La Manga. @ Tristan Jones.

What is your assessment of your 2019 season on the European Valentine circuit?

A mixed record. I didn't start the year well, I missed several cuts in Australia and South Africa. I played better in May with two consecutive top 25s. It was a complicated season, with only one tournament to play every month, so we have our backs to the wall all the time.

You are finished 47e of the European cards final, last Sunday in Spain. A little disappointed?

Necessarily. Before the tournament, I already had a place in category 9a thanks to my ranking on the LET and the objective was to make a top 5 to integrate a full category. That said, the new LET calendar this season should still allow me to play a lot of tournaments.

What is your schedule for the next few weeks?

I will be competing in Pro-Am in February because I will skip tournaments in Australia and start my season in March in South Africa.

How did you get started with golf and what prompted you to turn pro?

My father played golf, I started around the age of 7, in Saint-Cloud. Later, I was part of the French amateur team, with which I participated in all international competitions. Then I went to study at university in Texas, where I obtained a Bachelor in Communication and Minor in Spanish. By participating in university tournaments, it made me want to give it a try and go pro.

Is there a player you admire on the tour?

For men, Tiger Woods necessarily. He revolutionized golf around the world despite the very difficult times he went through. And he made an incredible comeback by winning the Masters last year. For women, I would say Suzann Pettersen, especially for her mentality. She is an example for her way of being and the way she has managed her career. I also think about his last putt for the victory in the Solheim Cup.

What is your favorite course?

Chiberta, in the southwest, for the landscape. We are at the edge of the ocean, we go very quickly from the sea to the forest, it really smacks of vacation. There is Morfontaine too, for the consistently impressive quality of the course.

Interview by Franck Crudo

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