Sunday, 13th May 2007 at 5:53 pm

Ashleigh Simon turns pro

A couple of years back, Ashleigh Simon had a fairly clear plan of how her golf career would pan out: take on the amateur circuit, finish school, head for college in the States, and hopefully one day turn pro. But Simon didn’t realise just how comprehensively she’d demolish the amateur competition available, and just weeks after completing a third South African Amateur Strokeplay/Matchplay double - and coinciding nicely with her 18th birthday - Simon has officially turned professional.

By the time you read this, she’ll already be in Europe; working with IMG, the teenage South African has secured invitations to a number of top events on both the LET and LPGA Tour already. And excitement is running high in local golf, the collective belief strong indeed that Simon is about to make a substantial impact on the women’s game. Feverpitcher ed Dan Nicholl has played with her before, and can attest to her talent (a ten and eight thrashing); keep an eye open, then, for a bundle of blonde curls set to add a new dimension to South African golf.