Marie-Laure de Lorenzi (born 21 January 1961, in Biarritz) is a French professional golfer. She is known by her married name Marie-Laure Taya. She won 19 tournaments in a span of eleven seasons on the Ladies European Tour, putting her third, later tied third, on the all-time list of number of wins on the tour.
Early life and amateur career In 1961, De Lorenzi was born. She played for her country in the European Lady Junior's Team Championship, for players up to the age of 21, from she was 14 years old in 1975 until 1982 and was on the winning team in 1979. She won individually in 1981.
She also represented her country four times at the European Ladies' Team Championship and four times at the Espirito Santo Trophy.
Professional career In 1987, De Lorenzi joined the Ladies European Tour. She won the Order of Merit in 1988 and 1989. In those two years, when she led the rankings, she finished first or second 17 times, when the tour schedules included 46 individual tournaments over the two seasons. That means that she finished first or second in 37% of all scheduled tournaments over two full seasons on the tour.
She finished third, after tying the lead after the third round, at the 1989 Women's British Open Championship, before it was permanently co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour in 1994 and regarded as a major championship by the LPGA in 2001. The same year, de Lorenzi finished tied 11h at the 1989 U.S. Women's Open at Indianwood G&CC north of Detroit, Michigan, which came to be her best finish in a major championship.
She became a life time member of the Ladies European Tour, having accumulated 19 tournament victories on it.
As of 2024, she was tied third with Trish Johnson, after Laura Davies and Dale Reid, on the all-time list of number of wins on the Ladies European Tour.
During her career, de Lorenzi became, and as of 2024 still was, record holder of most wins in a single season, with seven wins in 1988. She also became the record holder of most consecutive wins back-to-back, with 3 wins in three consecutive scheduled tournaments in 1989, when she lost in a playoff in the fourth tournament.
She played for Europe in the first Solheim Cup, which took place in 1990, and was also a member of the European team in 1996 and 1998. She was invited by captain Micky Walker, to be reserve on site for the European team at the 1994 Solheim Cup in late October at The Greenbrier, West Virginia, United States, but decided to decline, due to lost confidence. However, de Lorenzi won the Spanish Open three weeks ahead of the team match.
De Lorenzi announced her retirement from tournament golf in 2004. In 2007, she was assistant captain of the European Solheim Cup team.
Personal life
She competed using her married name Marie-Laure Taya from 1986 until midway through 1989 when she changed to Marie-Laure de Lorenzi-Taya. After her divorce from former Spanish amateur champion Roman Taya, she reverted to her maiden name in 1990.
She has represented Paris International Golf Club, but lived in Barcelona, Spain with her daughter Laura and enjoyed tennis, jazz, antiques and swimming.
Awards and honors
In 1988 and 1989, she won the Order of Merit on the Ladies European Tour (LET). In 1996 and 1997, she won the Vivian Saunders Trophy, bestowed to the player with the lowest scoring average on the LET.
Amateur wins
1976 French International Lady Juniors Amateur Championship 1978 Spanish International Ladies Amateur Championship, French International Lady Juniors Amateur Championship 1980 Spanish International Ladies Amateur Championship 1983 Spanish International Ladies Amateur Championship, French Ladies Close Amateur Championship Source:
Professional wins (21)
Ladies European Tour wins (19) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1 14 Jun 1987 Belgian Ladies Godiva Open −7 (72-71-70-72=285) 2 strokes Trish Johnson Susan Moon2 9 Aug 1987 BMW Ladies' German Open −13 (70-70-65-70=275) 5 strokes Dale Reid3 12 Jun 1988 Letting French Open −2 (71-72-75-72=290) Playoff Caroline Bourtayre (amateur)4 19 Jun 1988 Volmac Dutch Open +7 (75-74-72-74=295) 1 stroke Kitrina Douglas5 10 Jul 1988 Hennessy Ladies Cup −4 (75-72-66-71=284) 1 stroke Alison Nicholas6 21 Aug 1988 Gothenburg Ladies Open −9 (70-70-69-66=275) 3 strokes Peggy Conley7 9 Oct 1988 Laing Charity Classic −16 (67-67-69=203) 7 strokes Caroline Griffiths8 30 Oct 1988 Woolmark Ladies' Matchplay 4 and 2 Alison Nicholas9 3 Nov 1988 Qualitair Spanish Open −12 (207) 4 strokes Corinne Soules10 30 Apr 1989 Ford Ladies' Classic −10 (286) 8 stroke Gillian Stewart11 28 May 1989 Hennessy Ladies Cup −9 (279) 2 strokes Corinne Dibnah Jody Rosenthal12 11 Jun 1989 BMW Ladies Classic −11 (277) 1 stroke Dennise Hutton13 29 Apr 1990 Ford Ladies' Classic −12 (74-72-68-70=284) 3 strokes Laurette Maritz14 24 Oct 1993 VAR Open de France Feminin +4 (72-79-69=220) 1 stroke Federica Dassù Karina Orum15 2 Oct 1994 La Manga Spanish Open −6 (71-72-68-71=282) Playoff Sofia Grönberg-Whitmore16 13 May 1995 Costa Azul Ladies Open −11 (72-67-66=205) 2 strokes Evelyn Orley17 17 Sep 1995 Staatsloterij Ladies Open −18 (67-66-68=201) 9 strokes Lora Fairclough18 15 Oct 1995 Nestlé French Ladies Open −9 (71-68-71=210) 10 strokes Kathryn Marshall Alison Nicholas Sally Prosser19 15 Jun 1997 Déesse Ladies' Swiss Open −8 (72-68-70-70=280) Playoff Trish Johnson
Ladies European Tour playoff record (3–4) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11988Letting French Open Caroline Bourtayre (amateur)Won on fourth extra hole.21989Open de France Dames Suzanne StrudwickLost to birdie at first extra hole.31989Danish Ladies Open Tania AbitbolLost to par at third extra hole.41989Godiva Ladies European Masters Kitrina DouglasLost to par at second extra hole.51991Hennessy Ladies CupResultat Svensk Golf 8/1991, pp. 63 Helen Alfredsson Corinne DibnahLost. Eliminated to par on first extra hole.Alfredsson won with birdie on third extra hole.61994La Manga Spanish Open Sofia Grönberg-WhitmoreWon on second extra hole.71997Déesse Ladies' Swiss Open Trish JohnsonWon with birdie at first extra hole
Other wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up11988Benson & Hedges Trophy^ (team with Mark McNulty)−12 (276)1 stroke José María Cañizares and Tania Abitbol21993Lalla Meryem Cup ^ Mixed pairs unofficial money event on the European Tour and Ladies European Tour.
Team appearances Amateur European Lady Junior's Team Championship (representing France): 1975, 1978, 1979 (winners), 1980, 1981, 1982 European Ladies' Team Championship (representing France): 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985 Vagliano Trophy (representing Continent of Europe): 1979, 1985 Espirito Santo Trophy (representing France): 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986
Professional Solheim Cup (representing Europe): 1990, 1996, 1998 Sunrise Cup World Team Championship (representing France): 1992 Praia D'el Rey European Cup (representing Ladies European Tour): 1999 (winners)
See also List of golfers with most Ladies European Tour wins
References
External links