IT’S early days but the South Coast could be well on its way to producing the next Lee-Anne Pace.
Young golfer Simoné Ferreira of Margate Country Club won the SA Kids’ tournament at Mount Edgecombe Country Club last weekend in the 9-10 age category for girls. It wasn’t so much that she won, but that she won by an astonishing 13 shots. Her score of 43 over nine holes included a par to start with and a birdie to finish. Not bad for a nine-year-old.
Simoné’s family moved to the coast from Klerksdorp in the North West Province recently.
She has already won a bunch of trophies and this latest one will be fighting to find a space in the cabinet.
Her father Petrus will probably need to find a special room for the trophies that are likely to come her way, especially if she keeps up this promising start.
But back to the mention of Lee-Anne Pace.
At the recent SA Women’s Open at San Lameer Country Club, Simoné followed Lee-Anne, watching her play up close. On the Saturday, when Lee-Anne was playing the 12th hole, Simoné’s father mentioned some of his daughter’s achievements to Lee-Anne’s caddy.
He spoke to Lee-Anne who then gave Simoné her ball. She also signed her cap, saying, tongue-in-cheek, “so you’re going to become the next me!”
This has inspired Simoné and she is working very hard at her game.
Was Lee-Anne perhaps inspired or motivated that she had such an eager, young fan? Maybe. She did play some great golf from there on in to win the title for the first time.
Simoné is currently part of the South African Golf Development Board programme which takes place at Margate CC from time to time, overseen by Colin Iddon and Patrick Mavundla.
She is a grade 3 pupil at Suid-Natal Primary and also enjoys swimming and netball.
