Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
BENJAMIN Follet-Smith emerged as Zimbabwe’s leading performer at the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Championship at Royal Johannesburg’s East Course.
Follet-Smith finished as the highest-placed Zimbabwean, ending the week tied for 56th on five under-par 209 after 54 holes.
Persistent rain forced the tournament to be shortened from 72 holes, and he was among three local golfers who survived the cut.
Kieran Vincent and Stuart Krog were the other Zimbabweans to make the weekend, both finishing in a seven-way tie for 68th on two under-par 212.
Robson Chinhoi missed the cut.
Fresh from securing full playing privileges on the DP World Tour for the 2026 season, Follet-Smith began the championship, which returned to Johannesburg for the first time since 2004, with a composed two under par 70.
That opening round featured an eagle at the par five first hole, followed by a bogey on the sixth, a birdie on the eighth and another dropped shot on the ninth to turn in 36. After the turn, he found momentum with back to back birdies on the 11th and 12th, before bogeys on the 13th and 17th.
He recovered with a closing birdie at the 18th for an inward 34.
In round two, Follet-Smith posted a three under-par 69.
He opened with a birdie at the first, stumbled with a bogey on the second, responded with a birdie on the sixth, dropped another shot on the seventh, then closed the front nine with a birdie on the eighth for another 36.
The back nine was flawless as he picked up birdies on the 17th and 18th to card an inward 33.
Starting the final round on five-under, Follet-Smith signed for a level par 70.
His closing round included birdies on the first and eighth holes, offset by bogeys on the 10th and 15th. The finish earned him 38 Order of Merit ranking points.
Vincent and Krog both ended the tournament on two-under par 212.
Vincent recorded rounds of 72, 68 and 72, while Krog returned scores of 72, 69 and 71.
The championship title went to 24-year-old Jayden Schaper, who edged defending champion Shaun Norris in a play off after the pair finished level on 16-under par 198.
Mathew Masinge