Rising golf star to make full debut at Ladies’ European Tour

A talented sports scholar is set to make her full debut at one of the most prestigious golfing tournaments in the world.  

Later this month, 25-year-old Billie-Jo Smith – a PhD student at the University of Derby – will head to Morocco for the opening match of the Ladies European Tour (LET) 2025 series. The LET is a professional golf tour which was founded in 1978, now comprising 402 members representing 43 nationalities.  

With prize money of up to $9m available, Billie-Jo will travel to countries including Australia, South Africa, Korea, the USA and Europe over the coming months.  

And although she is in the early stages of her professional career, golf is a sport that Billie-Jo has been playing since a young age.

“I was four years old when I started playing golf with plastic clubs and my grandma’s putter,” said Billie-Jo, who achieved her place on the LET by finishing in the top seven of the Access Series. 

“I kept complaining that I did not have real clubs and had to be content with plastic balls so, on my fifth birthday, my grandparents bought me my first set of clubs. 

"They have been a big influence on my golfing journey, as both played golf regularly. 

“I am excited and nervous about playing against some of the best golfers in the world. Everyone is at a really high standard.

“My goal is to remain in the top 70 on the Order of Merit, so that I can retain my full card on the European Tour. I’m feeling fully prepared after a productive winter.” 

It has been a challenging couple of years for Billie-Jo with successive injuries halting her progression. 

A malformation in her calf muscle kept her out of action for several months and, after an operation followed by rehabilitation, Billie-Jo sustained an injury to her shoulder.  

She then went on to complete a successful season on the golf course in 2024, finishing third in the Order of Merit and securing full playing status for 2025 on the LET. She was also named ‘Players’ Player of the Year’ for ‘performing at the highest standard on and off the course’. She said: 

“The injury to my calf required a small operation to ease the pain.

“I worked with the physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches at the University to deal with the injury and I eventually got myself to a position where I could play pain-free. 

“I still get niggles in those areas, so I’m working with staff at the University, and specialists at home, to stay on top of those.”  

Billie-Jo’s University of Derby journey began when she was successful in her application for a Masters Degree in Sports Science, and accepted on to the golf scholarship programme.  

She is currently studying part-time for a PhD in Sports and Exercise Science specialising in Golf BioMechanics.   

Billie-Jo has credited the University of Derby for being ‘so supportive’ of her career. She said:

“I never thought that university was for me, but here I am studying for a PhD.

“After I completed my degree, I thought ‘what do I do now?’ We were in the middle of the Covid pandemic and I couldn’t play the sport I loved. I’d always been interested in the research side of things, so I decided to do a Masters degree. 

“I looked around to find a course which would suit my needs – I wanted a course which I could combine studying with playing golf – and the University of Derby ticked all the boxes.   

“They offered the scholarship programme, which appealed to me. Not many universities offer sports scholarships especially with golf. 

“Secondly, the supervising team and staff were very specialised in what I wanted to do in terms of studies. So, it was all of those things put together which meant that Derby was the perfect option for me when choosing the right university.” 

The University of Derby Sports Scholarship programme aims to help talented athletes realise their sporting potential while supporting them through their academic studies, and applications for 2025 are now open for undergraduate, postgraduate, international and online students 

It caters for student athletes competing at a high county level up to senior internationals and studying an undergraduate, postgraduate or online degree. Those on scholarship programmes can access Support Services tailored towards their needs, delivered by the University’s experienced and qualified team. 

They include Strength & Conditioning and physiotherapy help, Sports Centre gym membership, use of the performance suite plus educational workshops to support lifestyle skills and sport performance. 

Jordan Butler, Performance Sports Manager at the University of Derby, said:

“The University’s Sports Scholarship programme is dedicated to helping talented athletes like Billie-Jo reach their full potential in sports while supporting them in their academic pursuits.

“The University of Derby has invested in high-class facilities, such as the Sports Centre and Human Performance Unit, where we have specialist equipment that can offer a Biomechanical Analysis of the golf swing. 

“This analysis involves a 3D motion capture of your swing, as well as measurement of the forces that you produce when interacting with the ground, to highlight areas of strength and those areas you could do with working on to hit the ball further. 

“We also have sport science expertise and performance level coaches, and athletes benefit from a dedicated athlete liaison officer, one-on-one psychology and group sessions.

"We are incredibly proud of Billie-Jo’s achievements and look forward to continuing to  follow her golfing journey." 

Find out more about sport scholarships at the University of Derby