Sara Fallar beaten in final of SA Amateur

Irish Girl's International Sara Faller fought bravely but eventually went down to South African star Ashleigh Simon in the final of the Sanlam South African Amateur Matchplay Championship at George Golf Club.

The amazing, record-setting 17-year-old golfing dynamo Simon added the matchplay to her strokeplay victory for the third consecutive year breaking yet another record and making history. South Africa's best prospect since LPGA Hall of Fame star Sally Little who won three Majors in the 1980s, has the swing, the power, the dedication and drive to follow in Little's spikemarks.

17 year old Faller from Galway was equally determined to win her first major championship. Having beaten Henriette Frylink 5&4 in the first round; Iliska Verwey 4&3 and Border champion Lizelle Muller 3&2, she dispatched giant-killer Gina Switala in the semi-final. Faller, a girls International since 2005, has been earmarked as one of Ireland's most promising players and is currently attending college in the USA.

Ashleigh who was seven up on the 25th hole kept doing what she does best, one shot at a time until she overcame Faller on the 32nd hole. Simon, who does not intend taking up a college place in the USA, just wants to play golf and will turn to the Ladies European Tour and LPGA qualifying schools in late 2007. She adds this title to the Espirito Santo World Cup win which she captured with teammates Kelli Shean and Stacy Bergman at Stellenbosch in October 2006.

Full details at http://www.womensgolfsa.co.za/sanlam/2007/homepage_news_matchplaysemi2_thur29.asp

2007 Sanlam South African Matchplay Championship - George Golf Club
Final
Ashleigh Simon beat Sara Faller 6&4 (36 holes)

Semi-finals
Ashleigh Simon bt Ashleigh Holmes 5 and 4
Sara Faller bt Gina Switala at 19th