Simon Challenged in Match Play

Ashleigh Simon dispatched Caitlin Beckwith’s attempt to stop her quest for the Sanlam South African Amateur Championship double trophy on Thursday.

Three hopefuls are willing to give the cup their best shot – Sara Faller, the Irish under-18 player, local girl Ashleigh Holmes and Gauteng North Junior Champion Gina Switala.

Meanwhile Ashleigh Simon remains focused and on course to complete the women’s amateur double (the strokeplay as well as the matchplay championship) for a third time in her spectacular career, which has already made her one of the best South African women’s golfers ever.

Simon scored a convincing win 7 and 6 win over Charlene Proctor in the first round, before advancing 5 and 4 over Pam Hayward to challenge Caitlin Beckwith, who she beat Thursday morning 3 and 2.

Gauteng North Junior champ Switala took on Western Province’s Gilly Tebbutt in the quarter-finals, and endured through a tough match to eventually beat Tebbutt 1up.

Local girl Ashleigh Homes beat Monique Smit (3 and 2) and then faced Kim Williams, placed fourth in the strokeplay event, who she beat on the 14th hole (6 and 4).

Sarah Faller beat Iliska Verwey (4 and 3), and Border Amateurs champion Lizelle Muller beat Gabby de Reuck (4 and 3) to make up the remaining contenders for the quarter-finals.

International competitor Sara Faller (who played in the under-18 Irish team) continued her impressive tournament, beating Border Champion Lizelle Muller 3 and 2 on her way to the semi-final.

Winner of the B division, Lucy Lo from Cape Town, who had impressive stroke play scores, knocked out Sally Hyatt (3 and 2) before beating Sonja Kruger (2 and 1) and Anne Riemer 2 and 1 to qualify for the semi-finals.

Kroukamp-Fradle recently returned to golf after bedding down her career and raising her young children, and is obviously enjoying her road to the semi-finals, beating Helga Weber 2 and 1.

13-year old Lara Weinstein from Glendower Golf Club is doing very well on her road to the semi-finals, beating Dawn Wessels (5 and 4), proceeding to take Sylvia Mackay (4 and 3), and then Lize Els couldn’t compete against this young contender, losing 7 and 6 to Weinstein.

Results of Championship Division First Round:
Ashleigh Simon bt Charlene Proctor 7 and 6
Pam Hayward bt Chloe Garner 5 and 4
Joanne Lefson bt Mertion Sandys 3 and 2
Caitlin Beckwith bt Odette Grotepass 3 and 2
Monique Smit bt Mercia Pretorius 2 and 1
Ashleigh Holmes bt Rushda Mallick 3 and 2
Vicki Traut bt Liezl Klotz 6 and 5
Kim Williams bt Lindsay Brown 2 and 1
Sarah Faller bt Henriette Frylinck 5 and 4
Iliska Verwey bt Nicole Becker 3 and 2
Ganny de Reuck bt Eugenie Clack 4 and 3
Lizelle Muller beat Elru Botha 5 and 4
Gilly Tebbutt bt Alex Hinteregger 5 and 4
Sandra Winter bt Jessica Meyer 5 and 3
Gina Switala bt Bertine Strauss 1 up
Kelli Shean bt Tanya Tibshraeny 6 and 4

Results for Championship Division Second Round:
Simon bt Hayward 4 and 3
Beckwith bt Lefson 6 and 4
Holmes bt Smit 3 and 2
Williams bt Traut 2 and 1
Faller bt Verwey 4 and 3
Muller bt De Reuck 4 and 3
Tebbutt bt Winter 1 up
Switala bt Shean 2 and 1

Results for Championship Division Quarter-Finals:
Simon bt Beckwith 3 and 2
Holmes bt Williams 6 and 4
Faller bt Muller 3 and 2
Switala bt Tebbutt 1up

Results for B Division Quarter-Finals:
Lucy Lo bt Anne Reimer 2 and 1
Debbie Kroukramp-Fradle bt Helga Weber 3 and 2
Izel Pieters bt Cornelia Kottwitz 4 and 3
Lara Weinstein bt Lize Els 7 and 6

Championship Division Semi-Finals –
Simon vs Holmes
Faller vs Switala

B Division Semi-Finals –
Lucy Lo vs Debbie Kroukramp-Fradle
Izel Pieters vs Lara Weinstein