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Takudzwa Chitsiga

Sports Reporter

THE ZIMBABWEAN quintet of golfers, headlined by Ben Follet-Smith and Mark Williams, have missed the cut at the Sunbet Challenge taking place at the Wingate Park in Pretoria, South Africa.

The event was the first in several months on the Sunshine Tour calendar. Follet-Smith was tied on second position after the opening round, only to blow his chances in the second qualifying round.

The other Zimbabweans who missed the cut included the Mandhu brothers Mohammad and Kayyam, and Greg Bentley.

Follet-Smith looked a good prospect after he carded an opening round four-under-68, to finish as the best placed Zimbabwean going into the second round.

The Mississippi State University graduate was behind South African, Travor Fisher (Jnr), who was two shots ahead on six-under.

The former Zimbabwe leading amateur was tied with multiple time Sunshine Tour winner Adilson da Silva of Brazil and Louis Albertse of South Africa.

But the second round was disastrous for Follet-Smith, who somehow carded a nine-over 81 for a total five-over. As a result, he undid all the good work from the first round and agonizingly bowled out of the competition.

Another Zimbabwean golfer, Williams, who had opened with an eight-over, returned a four-under for a total four-over, and finished as the best placed local professional.

Mohammad finished on 12-over while Bentley was a shot behind on 13-over and the younger Mandhu, Kayyam, was on 18-over.