Follett-Smith claims glory in Cell C Challenge in Honour of Gary Player
[Sunday, January 25, 2026 18:23:07]
Benjamin Follett-Smith with Gary Player. (Photo by Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour)
Benjamin Follett-Smith with Gary Player. (Photo by Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour)
Watched by Gary Player himself, Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith claimed his third Sunshine Tour title when he won the Cell C Challenge in Honour of Gary Player at Killarney Country Club on Sunday.
Starting the final round three shots behind leader Haydn Porteous, Follett-Smith produced a magnificent charge and signed for a closing 66 to win by a single stroke on 15 under par. Matthew Crisswell, Follett-Smith’s caddie, received a Sunshine Tour medallion as the winning caddie.
Porteous had a 10-foot birdie putt on the last to force a playoff which he missed, settling for second place on 14 under par with a final round of 70.
Kieron van Wyk finished third on 11 under par with a closing 70.
It was a remarkable victory by Follett-Smith that was built around his front nine of three birdies and an eagle, and which gave him the luxury of a bogey-bogey finish to still claim the title.
“The first nine went my way. As golf is, when it’s going your way it seems easy. I did exactly what I wanted to do for every shot on that front nine. I made a good putt for birdie on the 10th so I thought it was going to continue, but the back nine was tough towards the end. I made a few silly errors coming in. Hitting it right of 17 was a rookie error for sure and finishing bogey-bogey wasn’t what I wanted to do. Luckily it was good enough so I’m very pleased,” said Follett-Smith.
This is his first victory since 2024 and following what he says was a somewhat frustrating 2025.
“It’s just been hard work and practice. I didn’t get too much out of my game last year. I was a bit stuck playing the HotelPlanner Tour and DP World Tour, but I kept coming back home to the Sunshine Tour as a great platform to play. The events here are awesome and world-class in terms of how they’re run. It’s awesome to be in the winner’s circle again and to guarantee my playing rights here.”
Follett-Smith’s rise in form is also perfect timing as the Sunshine Tour now moves into four weeks of co-sanctioned tournaments with the HotelPlanner Tour and then two weeks of co-sanctioned tournaments with the DP World Tour.
And the Zimbabwean was also delighted to win in front of Gary Player.
“It’s the second time I’ve met Mr Player and it’s an honour. He’s one of the best golfers to every live and to have a few minutes to chat to him and hear his advice is something else.”
SCORES
265 - Benjamin Follett-Smith 67 65 67 66
266 - Haydn Porteous 64 64 68 70
269 - Kieron van Wyk 68 69 62 70
270 - Yurav Premlall 66 69 68 67
270 - Tristen Strydom 67 70 65 68
272 - Estiaan Conradie 69 69 70 64
272 - MJ Viljoen 66 72 68 66
273 - Robson Chinhoi 65 70 71 67
273 - Martin Rohwer 67 72 65 69, Tyran Snyders 64 70 69 70, Herman Loubser 67 65 70 71
274 - Jaco Prinsloo 71 67 71 65
274 - Luke Brown 68 68 70 68, Stephen Ferreira 73 66 65 70, Jaco Ahlers 68 67 68 71, Joe Long 68 63 69 74
275 - Keagan Thomas 72 63 72 68
275 - Justin Walters 66 68 72 69, Wynand Dingle 70 67 69 69, Hayden Griffiths 70 68 67 70, Nikhil Rama 66 66 71 72, Karabo Mokoena 67 67 69 72
276 - Ryan Van Velzen 68 71 68 69
276 - Deon Germishuys 65 73 67 71
277 - Jack Hawksby 67 67 76 67
277 - Tomas Gana 67 71 69 70, Jason Roets 65 69 70 73
278 - James Mack 69 66 72 71
278 - Christian Kriek 67 71 69 71, Franklin Manchest 72 67 66 73
279 - Rowan Lester 67 72 71 69
279 - Matthew Spacey 68 70 70 71
280 - Benjamin Van Wyk 72 65 75 68
280 - Joe Knox 67 72 72 69, Pierre Viallaneix 65 74 71 70, Louis Albertse 67 71 71 71, Xander Basson 65 74 70 71, Graham van der Merwe 69 70 70 71, Jordan Burnand 69 66 73 72, Stals Swart 67 71 68 74
281 - Mikkel Antonsen 69 69 72 71
281 - Conner Mackenzie 66 72 71 72, Makhetha Mazibuko 68 67 73 73, Altin van der Merwe 71 67 70 73, Malcolm Mitchell 71 68 69 73, Thomas Spreadborough 67 69 68 77
282 - Pierre Pellegrin 69 69 73 71
282 - Gerhard Pepler 68 70 72 72, Kyle De Beer 67 72 69 74
283 - Stuart Krog 68 71 72 72
283 - David Amm 65 67 76 75
284 - Musiwalo Nethunzwi 67 71 73 73
285 - Stefan Wears-Taylor 68 68 72 77
287 - Jonathan Broomhead 69 68 74 76
287 - Jean-Paul Strydom 69 69 72 77
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