Sizzling SA stars in Dubai

South Africa’s Ashleigh Simon vaulted to a tie for 11^th in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, while Lee-Anne Pace and Stacy-Lee Bregman finished a further stroke adrift in Saturday’s final round at the Emirates Golf Club.

Simon opened with rounds of 70 and 71 and moved into contention with a third round 69.

The three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner holed out for four birdies to offset two bogeys in the final round to close with a 70 for an eight-under-par total of 280. She finished 11 shots behind Shanshan Feng, who ran away with the Ladies European Tour’s season-finale for the second time in three years.

The Chinese player carried a five stroke lead into the final round and finished by that exact margin on 17-under-par 199 after a closing 70.

Pearl Valley’s Pace carded an opening five-under-par 67 to finish within striking distance of world number five Feng and Carin Koch from Sweden, but fell off the pace with subsequent rounds of 73 and 74.

However, the reigning Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies leader rallied with a flawless five under 67 in the final round to grab a share of 15th on 281.

Bregman opened with a 72 and edged closer to the leaders with a second round 70 and 69 in round three. She reeled in three successive birdies on the back nine at the Majlis course for a final round 70 to join Pace at 281.

Recent Tenerife Open de Espana champion Connie Chen carded rounds of 74, 70, 72 and 76 to tie for 52nd on four over 292.

PHOTO – Sunshine Ladies Tour champion Ashleigh Simon; credit Dale Boyce.