Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux recorded her first win on the LET and earned herself a Scottish quaich donated by The R&A, although her win was achieved away from the golf course. At the beginning of each season, the LET requires all of its Rookies to complete the official R&A’s Rules Academy Level 1 Exam, which can be accessed via The R&A’s website. The Rookie with the highest percentage score after taking the exam achieves first place on a special leader board created for the LET by The R&A. Over 30 Rookies took the test and it was Morgane who finished first with 100%, a perfect score! This was eight percentage points ahead of Magdalena Simmermacher from Argentina and Slovenia’s Pia Babnik, who both scored 92%. As if scoring 100% isn’t impressive enough, what makes Morgane’s achievement even more impressive is that only 6% of those who take the test score 100%.
Morgane said: “As a junior in Switzerland, we had to pass a rules exam that was very advanced to be able to play for free in other clubs. This test was hard, and we had to study the rules thoroughly before all taking it together in the same room, just like a school exam. We also had to renew it every couple of years. I think it is a great system because knowing the rules is so important. It helps speed up play, in some cases it can be useful and help you get out of some bad situations on the course, and it prevents you from making a mistake and getting penalized for it.
I think it is important that players, especially professional players know the rules relatively well. For us, it is our job and knowing the rules is part of it. So, I believe it is a good thing that every rookie gets a review of the rules and gets tested on it.”
Grant Moir, Director – Rules at The R&A, said: “Our support for the Ladies European Tour induction programme for rookie players is now in its sixth year and it forms an important part of our overall drive to educate golfers about the Rules and how to apply them on the course. We are delighted to learn that this year’s new crop of professionals have benefited from using Level 1 Rules Academy course. We would like to congratulate Morgane Metraux in particular for achieving a perfect 100% score.”
This initiative was introduced for the first time in 2015 and has become a regular feature of the LET’s Rookie Orientation Programme. The LET’s Director of Administration, Mike Round, commented: “A good understanding of the rules is particularly important at the professional level where incurring penalties can have far-reaching consequences, but the LET would encourage golfers at all levels and of all ages to complete the Level 1 Exam at https://www.randa.org/rulesacademy.”
