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Pace and Simon geared for Evian Championship
Investec Cup women's champion Lee-Anne Pace and three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner Ashleigh Simon are primed for action in the Evian Championship in France on Thursday.
Lee-Anne Pace. File Picture: Shaun Roy / Gallo Images.
The South African pair have competed mainly on the LPGA Tour this season, but would be taking part in the season’s final Major at the Evian Resort Golf Club.
“This has been one of my favourite tournaments and places to visit for years and I am really looking forward to this week,” the Pace said.
“I took a short break from the LPGA Tour and arrived in Europe two weeks
ago. I spent some time with my coach, James Petts, and caddied for Anna-Lise (Caudal) at the Scottish Open last week.”
Pace, who is the former Ladies European Tour (LET) number one, ranks 62nd on the LPGA Tour Money List.
She rose to seventh on the LET’s Order of Merit, after finishing runner-up at the Sberbank Golf Masters last month.
Simon meanwhile cracked the LPGA Tour’s top 100 with a tie for 40th at the LPGA Championship in August.
The two-time LET champion, who last qualified for Evian Championship in 2011, was excited by the redesigned course.
“They kept some holes the same and changed others, but they redid all the
greens and fairways and the course is playing incredibly long,” Simon said.
She believed accuracy on the course in south-eastern France would be the most critical factor.
“These have to be the most undulating greens I’ve ever played. You will have to be patient because there are not many pins you can attack.
“You might be left with a couple of long putts this week and that is going to test the patience.”
Defending champion Suzann Pettersen from Norway leads a stellar field that includes US Women’s Open winner Michelle Wie, Kraft Nabisco champion Lexi Thompson and LPGA Championship winner Inbee Park from Korea.
– Sapa
