SA trio primed for Portland

While world number 13 Louis Oosthuizen heads up an eight-man South African challenge in the PGA Championship, LPGA winner Lee-Anne Pace will lead compatriots Paula Reto and Ashleigh Simon at the 44th playing of the Cambria Portland Classic in Oregon.

The SA trio will vie for a $1.3 million purse at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, hosting the longest running non-major event on the LPGA Tour for a 29th consecutive year.

Pearl Valley’s Pace is coming off a tie for a tie for 24th in the Ricoh British Women’s Open where a $30,000 pay day boosted her to 53rd in the Rolex World Golf Rankings.

The double Investec Cup for Ladies champion also broke into the top 60 in the LPGA Money List and is just two spots shy of the top 60 in the Race to the CME Globe.

Wanna Be A Champion’s Simon followed a 13th place finish in the ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters with a joint 66th finish in the season’s fourth Major at the Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland.

The four-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner is looking to break into the top 100 in the LPGA Tour Money list and will be hunting a positive start alongside Reto, who currently ranks 91st.

Other starters in the City of Roses include defending champion Austin Ernst from the United States and past champions Pat Hurst (1990) , Danielle Kang (2010 and 11), Lydia Ko (2012), Jane Park (2004), Morgan Pressel (2005), Jennifer Song (2009) and Mariajo Uribe (2007).

PHOTO – Lee-Anne Pace, Ashleigh Simon and Paula Reto; credit Justin Klusener.