CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Former Chattanooga Mocs golf standout Emma de Groot (2008-11) got her 2013 year off to a great start playing on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour in her homeland. The native of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, finished second in the ALPG’s Club Car Series.

de Groot had a win and three top-10 finishes on the ALPG Tour, which has concluded its events as summer comes to an end in the Southern hemisphere. She captured her first professional title in a playoff over Esther Choe. The two ended up at minus-5 before de Groot claimed the Ingham Antill Park Ladies Pro Am title.

de Groot was a runner-up her next time out at the Mount Broughton Classic presented by McGill Transport. Her rounds of 66 and 70 gave her an 8-under total, four shots behind Caroline Hedwall. She also tied for third in the opening tour event with a level-par 142 at the Vintage Golf Club Pro-Am.

She closed with a 66 for a sixth-place finish at the Women’s New South Wales Open. After opening with cards of 72 and 71, she vaulted into the top 10, ending up at 7-under par 209. de Groot ended the tour schedule tying for 16th (-9) at the Women’s Victorian Open.

de Groot is slated to return to Symetra Tour this summer in the United States. It is the feeder tour for the LPGA and where the Mocs star got her professional start in 2012.

Head coach Colette Murray and her charges return to the tee March 8-10 at the JMU Eagle Landing Invitational. Chattanooga won the event in 2009 and 2011 with de Groot playing a key role winning in 2009 and finishing as runner-up to teammate Christine Wolf (2008-11) in 2011.