Four years ago, a Texas State freshman took the Montauban Ladies Open by a storm coming from behind to clinch victory at her first professional event, an event she only entered the week before.
This year France’s Marine Griffaut returns to the Montauban Ladies Open for a fourth time to the tournament where she’s never finished outside the top 10.
Speaking about the course she loves so much, Griffaut said: “Montauban is my happy place. I’m trying to bring the positive vibes this year.
“I have never been outside the top ten yet but that’s something that I am trying to not think too much about because I don’t want to fix a result in my mind.
“My enemy out there is going to be myself. So I’m just going to try to stick to the process and just enjoy myself.
“To be honest this week does have some pressure. I like this place a lot and of course I want to do well.”
2025 has already been a big year for Griffaut who has made a lot of changes, from switching coaches to making the permanent move back to Europe.
Her best finish was 13th at the Terre Blanche Ladies Open, the LETAS season opener. Additionally, Griffaut has made two cuts on the LET this year at the Lalla Meryem Cup and the Dutch Ladies Open.
“The beginning of the year has been very up and down. So I’m trying not to expect anything. I’m just trying to enjoy the process.
“I think Montauban can be a good place to succeed again. I’m very competitive, so of course I want to win.
“ Of course I want to do well, but I think before that there are a lot of things to do, work on myself, and just play golf. So, we’re going to just play some good golf this week.”
“ I just have to be patient and believe in myself.”
Becoming a professional golfer has been a dream of Griffaut’s since childhood but the journey hasn’t been easy.
It was winning the Montauban Ladies Open in 2021 that made Griffaut know that dream could be a reality.
“Looking back, that little girl that won was so happy.
“It was a surprise also because it was my first tournament as an amateur in a professional event. So I had never played in a professional event. I was like, am I going to like it or not?
“That gave me the taste that this is really what I want to do. Of course, winning helps.
“I now look at myself now older and I’m like, yes, I can do it. Professional golf is exactly where I want to be.”
In 2023 Griffaut returned to the Montauban Ladies Open once again as an amateur and impressed again finishing within the top 10. One year later she made her professional debut in Montauban and finished 4th, winning the prize for the highest ranked French player.
It remains to be seen what 2025 has in store for Griffaut but she tees it up at 9:10am Thursday morning alongside England’s Rosie Belsham and Austria’s Isabella Holpfer.
For more information on the tournament, visit letaccess.com and follow @LETAccess on Facebook, Instagram and X – #Access2LET.
