(Saturday
12 May,2007) - Ashleigh Simon
announced today that she has turned professional - one day after her
18th birthday and after her last amateur tournament, the Acer Five
Nations Commonwealth Tournament.
Ashleigh's decision to turn professional follows an outstanding amateur
career whereby she has broken almost every amateur record in South
Africa, has signed with the global sports management company, IMG.
Her achievements include being the
youngest player to receive full African colours, aged 14, playing No.1
for her country in the Commonwealth Tournament, the youngest player to
win the Ladies South African Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play double,
and the first player in 101 years to win the South African Open title
three times.
The teenage sensation, who left school last month, has also made a huge
impact on the SA Women Professional circuit. In 2004 she won the local
professional women's golf tour event, the Acer Women's South African
Open, the only amateur ever to have done so, and has underlined her
extraordinary potential by winning a professional women's golf tour
event each year since, including the 2007 Acer Women's South African
Open in March. She capped her season off by finishing top points scorer
of the Ladies African Tour.
Ashleigh's professional schedule is already shaping up having been
offered invitations to play in the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open, the
KLM Ladies Open, and also one of the two sought-after invitations
available for the $2 million HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship
on the strength of her amazing match play record.
Ashleigh, who turned 18 yesterday, enthused, "I can't wait to get out on
the Tour. I have thoroughly enjoyed my amateur career and feel I am
absolutely ready for the next stage of my golfing journey. I have been
fortunate enough to have already experienced the professional
environment so I know it is a place where I feel comfortable and I feel
I have learnt a lot from the tournaments I have played so far.
IMG look after many of the players I
have admired and aspired to since I started playing golf, such as Annika
Sorenstam, Laura Davies, Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman and
Gary Player. I am looking forward to benefiting from the wealth of
experience IMG has amassed over the years".
Gary Player, who has played with Ashleigh on several occasions, says
"Ashleigh is an exceptionally talented young golfer. She has a very
bright future ahead of her and she will be a wonderful ambassador for
women's golf and South Africa".
Guy Kinnings, IMG's Managing Director of Golf in Europe, Africa, Middle
East and Australia, whose team represents the world's best golfers
including Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Morgan Pressel, Vijay Singh,
Retief Goosen, and Trevor Immelman said "Ashleigh's unprecedented
amateur record has made her one of the most exciting prospects in golf.
Her outstanding results on both the amateur and professional circuits
over the past four years have certainly made the world of golf take
notice and we are thrilled she has chosen to work with IMG as she takes
this next step."
Robyn Cox, head of IMG South Africa said, "We are immensely proud to be
able to work with such a prodigious talent. Ashleigh is an exemplary
player and an inspiration to young women across the country. We are
looking forward to helping her make the transition to an immensely
successful professional career."
Vicky Cummings, who will oversee the management of Ashleigh's career
added, "We are delighted to be part of Ashleigh's team. Her results have
been phenomenal and when she won the South African Ladies African Tour
points list, the local professional tour, as a seventeen year old
amateur, she certainly proved she is ready to turn professional. Her
profile in the golfing world already makes her one of the most sought
after talents in golf, and we believe she has a very bright future ahead
of her."
It was also announced today that Ashleigh will be joining the elite
stable of top athletes that represent Nike. Her exclusive media partner
will be Golf Digest and their newly launched title Golf for Women.
Another proud supporter of Ashleigh is SuperSport, the World of
Champions, one of the world's premier golf broadcasters, who will keep
fans updated on her progress throughout the year.
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Simon gets into swing of being a
professional golfer
Business Day - Johannesburg,South Africa
FOLLOWING an awe-inspiring amateur career, SA’s teenage golf
sensation Ashleigh Simon has finally turned professional.
... |
Ash decides to just do it
Supersport, South Africa - May13,
2007
At 14, she became the youngest
South African ever to represent her country in women’s
golf competition at the 2003 Commonwealth Tournament.
... |
South Africa:
Simon Gets Into Swing of Being a Professional Golfer
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA
FOLLOWING an awe-inspiring amateur career, SA's teenage golf
sensation Ashleigh Simon has finally turned
professional. ... |
Sunday Times - Print Edition
- Sport
STEPPING UP: Ashleigh Simon
announces her move to the professional ranks ...
Teenage golf sensation Ashleigh Simon has joined the
professional ranks. ... |
Superstar Ashleigh Simon
turns pro
iseekgolf.com, Australia - May
13, 2007
Ashleigh Simon has announced
that she has turned professional - one day after her 18th
birthday and after her last amateur tournament, the Acer
Five Nations ... |
SA teen star Simon turns
pro
News24, South Africa - May 13,
2007
London - South African teen golf star
Ashleigh Simon turned professional and signed a
management deal with IMG on Saturday. Simon, the
three-time South ... |
A hat trick of birdies gives
O'Hair TPC lead
Cincinnati Post, OH - May 13,
2007
TEEN TURNS PRO: South African
star Ashleigh Simon turned professional Saturday and
signed a management deal with IMG. "I can't wait to get out
on the tour," ... |
South Korean pair vying for
LPGA win
News & Observer, NC - May 12,
2007
SOUTH AFRICAN TEEN TURNS PRO:
South African teen star Ashleigh Simon turned
professional Saturday and signed a management deal with IMG.
... |
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