Choosing to forgo the remainder of a collegiate golf career to pursue professional dreams can be intimidating. But for Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (Brignoles, France), who joined the pro ranks in August of 2021, the decision seemed to be the most logical. The two-time All-American and former University of South Carolina Gamecock is one of three players in the field this week at the second stage of Q-School to receive an automatic exemption because of her top-five ranking in the Golfweek/Sagarin Women’s Individual Collegiate Rankings ahead of the entry deadline. While she’s already cutting her teeth and winning on the Ladies European Tour — she won the Didricksons Skaftö Open in late August — the chance to advance to Q-Series was an opportunity Roussin-Bouchard couldn’t pass up.
“It's great because I turned pro in August and so now I have full status on the LET. It's just a bonus to be here and have that opportunity to play Stage II and for status [at least] on the Epson Tour,” said the Frenchwoman. “Then if everything goes right, more in the Q-Series at the end of the year. I went to college to prepare for professional golf and a professional life but then my college coach told me that if I wanted to, I could turn pro if it would allow me to have better preparation for Q-School and have different tournaments as a professional. She gave me that opportunity, and I'm very grateful for that.”
Fellow European professional Linn Grant (Viken, Sweden) and amateur Beatrice Wallin (Gothenburg, Sweden) round out the trio of exemptions. Wallin is a senior at Florida State University and boasts a stout career as a Seminole with two wins as well as All-American and ACC Golfer of the Year titles to her credit.
Grant, like Roussin-Bouchard, was another standout student-athlete that elected to leave college early, turning professional in August after just two years as an Arizona State University Sun Devil. During her short tenure, Grant was a two-time All-American and carded 12 top-10 finishes in only 16 career starts, including four consecutive wins across two seasons making her only the second player in program history to ever win four straight. She comes to Plantation Golf & Country Club with a win on the LET Access Series at the Terre Blanche Ladies Open under her belt, feeling grateful for the exemption and working to keep her nerves in check. With only 45 players and ties advancing to Q-Series, there’s a lot on the line. But Grant is taking in the week one step at a time, relying on her past experiences to bolster her confidence.
“I think it's a great opportunity to come straight to Stage II, even though I feel like playing Stage I would've given me the knowledge of playing Q-School. But I feel great,” said Grant. “I know most of the people here already through college golf. Being ranked top amateur and top college (player) kind of gave me some confidence for this week and for the future. It's difficult because you come out here and you try to think that it's a normal competition. You want to go out and win. But at the same time, you know that the top 45 goes through. So I try to just stay in the here and now and think of what I can do tomorrow and then take it day by day like I would a normal event. But it's still scary.”
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