Ashleigh Holmes wins the Turkish Open

South Africa’s Ashleigh Holmes picked up the inaugural Turkish Ladies Amateur Championship Trophy yesterday, Sunday 7 September, at the Cornelia Golf Club, Antalya, Turkey. Lying second coming into the final round, Ashleigh’s 76 was good enough to win the event by one stroke on 307 (77, 78, 76, 76) from Charlene Reid of Ireland and Elcin Ulu of Turkey, both on 308. Team mate Gina Switala did not start the tournament well, scoring 82, 81 and 82, but came back with a great 75 in the final round to finish in 11th position.

This first Turkish women’s championship was played in conjunction with the 7th Men’s Turkish Open Amateur Championship over 72 holes on the 27-hole Faldo Championship Golf Course which is the first design project of Nick Faldo in south eastern Europe. Turkey is one of the countries bidding to host the World amateur Teams Championships in 2012 and the event will take place in Antlaya should their bid be successful.

24 Year old Ashleigh, an all-round sportswoman who was the No 1 Shot putter in the Southern Cape for four years and represented her province at tennis, now works in the pro shop at Kingswood Golf Club and will represent Southern Cape at the Pick n Pay Inter-Provincial tournament at Umhlali in September. She was runner-up to Breanne Loucks in the Sanlam SA Amateur Championships in April 2008 and the following month was runner-up in the Western Province Championship.