(16 May 2011 – Turcifal, Portugal)
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South African Ashleigh Simon claimed her second professional victory with a sublime final day display to take out the ISPS Handa Portugal Ladies Open by four shots. In second place was overnight leader Gwladys Nocera while last start victor Christel Boeljon continued her good form to finish outright third.
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rnSimon started the final round a shot behind Nocera, who had opened the tournament with a course record 8-under par 64. It turned out to be a battle between these two, a battle that in the end fizzled out to a comprehensive win for Simon. The weather conditions were hot and windy and none of the players down the leaderboard could make any sort of challenge with scores soaring with the temperatures and final day pin placements.
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rnSimon picked up a shot on the 1st hole to apply early pressure after Nocera had dunked her second shot in the water and scrambled for par. Nocera then dropped shots at the 2nd and 3rd holes and it looked as if the 10-time winner wasn’t on her game. That didn’t last long when she pulled the dropped shots back with an eagle on the 5th hole which Simon also birdied and the pair were level at 12-under par. From there it was all plain sailing for Simon as Nocera made bogey at the 6th and put another ball in the water on the 8th. Over the same stretch, Simon picked up birdies at the 6th and 9th holes to make the turn with a 4-shot buffer.
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rnThe lead was briefly reduced to three shots when Simon made a bogey at No.10 but she quickly regained the ascendency with birdies at the 11th 14th and 15th holes to lead by six shots with three holes to play. The final result flattered Nocera somewhat in that she made birdies at the final three holes which Simon played in even par to finish three ahead.
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rnAfter all of the formalities, Simon commented, “It’s a huge honour to win any Ladies European Tour event. I felt comfortable here the whole week. It’s been an absolutely great week. I was very focused: 66, 67, 67, so very consistent.”
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rnFollowing an outstanding amateur career, her second win has come nearly four years after her first having spent much of the last three years on the LPGA Tour in the US. On that, she said, “It’s been four years since my last win and this one feels very special because I’ve been working for a long time. It shows that all the work is starting to pay off now and I hope it can continue.”
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rnThe best of the ALPG players was Nikki Garrett who had a steady week to finish in a tie for 19th at 1-under par. Three Aussies finished in a tie for 25th at 2-over par; Sarah Kemp, Kristie Smith and Bree Arthur while Rebecca Flood (37th) and Rebecca Codd (T44) also made the cut.
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rnThis week the players head for Germany for the Unicredit Ladies German Open to be played at the Golfpark. The following ALPG Members will be competing: Frances Bondad, Lynn Brooky, Rebecca Codd, Kate Combes, Rebecca Flood, Nikki Garrett, Stacey Keating, Karen Lunn, Danielle Montgomery and Kristie Smith.