Ashleigh Simon dispatched Caitlin Beckwith’s attempt to stop her quest for the Sanlam South African Amateur Championship double trophy.
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, she meets Debbie Kroukamp-Fradle from KwaZulu Natal Thursday afternoon.
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), proceeded to take Sylvia Mackay (4 and 3), and then Lize Els couldn’t compete against this young contender, losing 7 and 6 to Weinstein.