After graduating with her master’s degree in physics and engineering physics, Romaine Masserey, 25, had a plethora of career options but still chose to pursue a professional golf career.
The Swiss golfer, who graduated from the University of Tulsa and turned pro in July, has always held a deep desire to understand the world around her.
“I was very interested in Physics and Mathematics,” she said. “I love physics, it’s easier for me to study something where I need to understand more than where I need to learn everything by heart. I just needed to be very organised to also be able to play golf on the side.
“Physics can also help medicine. For example, my Masters’ thesis was about simulating small lipid vesicles in 2D. Basically, in many years, we will be able with that to understand where Parkinson’s disease comes from.
“I just finished my Masters’ degree, and I was like now I need to play golf only. I played the European Team Championships, it was my last amateur competition, and after that I was just ready to turn pro.”
Masserey is set to compete in her sixth LET Access Series (LETAS) event of the season at this week’s October 14-16 Iberdrola Calatayud Ladies Open.
Her best result came when she was still an amateur, finishing tied-23rd at June’s Ladies German Challenge.
“I was trying to deal with everything,” she said. “When I wasn’t studying, I was playing golf or doing workouts. I learnt that sometimes you just need to take a break, rest and do something fun. It was tough, but I made it and now I’m focused on golf.”
Introduced to golf by her mother, Masserey did not pick up a club until she was 16.
“I started pretty late because I did a lot of running competitions and ski mountaineering when I was young,” she said. “My mom just started golf when I was 16, she started with a friend, I came to watch her and I liked it.”
While she has a background in science, Masserey prefers to rely on her instincts when on the course.
“I like to keep my feeling on the course more than being very like precise,” she said. “But of course it’s easier to understand the data and the stats. But on the course, I like to keep my feeling.
“The principal goal this year is to play Q School at the end of the year and to have my card on the LET next year. And maybe in two years, I hope I will be winning on the LET and on the LPGA.”
Even if a career in golf does not work out for Masserey, she has a back-up plan many others would be envious of.
“I would probably do something in medicine,” she added. “I know they have also physicists in radiotherapy. So yeah, maybe in a hospital or doing some research for medicine with physics.”
