Ashleigh Simon ready to record her third title at South African Women’s Open
Ashleigh Simon has announced that she will play in the upcoming South African Women’s Open. The two-time winner of the event is positive that she will win the trophy for a third time this July.
Are the experts and fans as confident about the win as Simon herself? Well looking at her recent record, the answer is a guarded ‘maybe!’
What makes Ashleigh Simon a sensation at South African Women’s Open? For one, she is a two-time winner of the event and therefore a clear favourite. She first won the event in 2004.
This was a rare win for Simon, who was just 15 at the time. Her next win was three years later, in 2007. This time she was up against more experienced players but managed to beat the competition after a tough game.
Another reason is her being a South African player. The event is particularly important for her as it is going to take place on a course that she knows well.
A number of international players will also be competing for the trophy. Nevertheless, all South African players are determined to keep the trophy in their home country.
The defending champion is South African’s Tandi Cuningham.
Ashleigh Simon is also hopeful for a third-time win for another reason. She knows Selborne Park Golf Club after playing a couple of tournaments there. She will exploit this advantage to the maximum.
The home crowd will also offer great support to Simon, an advantage that foreign players might miss out on.
South Africans are very supportive of their players and with a number of local players gracing the event, the fans will put up a great show.
Many analysts are not that optimistic about a third South African Women’s Open trophy for Simon. They pointed out that her performance this year has not been as brilliant as it has been in the past.
So far, she has posted just one top-10 finish. This happened at Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open. Simon scored 278 points and grabbed the sixth position.
She narrowly missed a top-10 finish this year at Raiffeisenbank Prague Golf Masters. She was placed on the eleventh position, with a score of 212.
This record does not go in Simon’s favour. She has been a rising star of international golf and many fans and golf commentators are still hopeful of her comeback.
Many hope that South African Women’s Open would be the start of her great performance. Ashleigh Simon is known to make a comeback at crucial moments on the golf course.
She had a phenomenal amateur career that raised the expectations from her pro career. This was materialized when she won her first pro title, Catalonia Ladies Masters.
2011 was a great year for Simon. She played in twenty events and posted five top-10 finishes. She also secured her second win at Portugal Ladies Masters.
Meanwhile, she played in the Raiffeisenbank Prague Masters as well and tied for the ninth position.
This is exactly the motivation that Simon requires for the South African Women’s Open. She will be up against top professional players from around the world.
In addition, she will also play against top amateurs, who will do their best to tie at least a top-20 position with a known player.
The event is very significant for Simon in many ways. She requires a good finish to improve her record this year. With the event taking place in South Africa, she would be in the eyes of the local crowd that has supported her and made her a superstar.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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