Sunday, 11th March 2007 at 7:33 pm

Ashleigh Simon does it again

Several years back, Feverpitcher ed Dan Nicholl found himself up against a quiet, shy mop of blonde curls in the pro-am at the Nelson Mandela Invitational, with a gentle game of matchplay proposed by tournament director Duncan Cruickshank. It shouldn’t have been a contest, really…

…and it wasn’t, Simon strolling to a 10 and 8 victory, and handing out a comprehensive lesson in golf. And she did something similar on Saturday in Durban, completing three rounds in 14-under-par to wrap up a five shot victory at the South African Women’s Open, her second national title.

Not that she could take home the money, however; Simon is still an amateur, and so second-placed Stacey Bregman, one of Simon’s team-mates in the World Amateur Team Championships last year (won by South Africa) who has since turned pro, picking up the cash. It won’t be the case for long, though - Simon is set to join the paid ranks after the Sanlam South African Women’s Amateur Championship at the end of this month. Big time beckoning for Ashleigh Simon? You’d better believe it.