David GonzalezFive bogeys in seven holes is a fairly effective way to test how secure a three-shot lead really is. Benjamin Follett-Smith put that theory into practice on Friday and, much to the frustration of the chasing pack, still finished the second round of the Fortress Invitational in front.
The Zimbabwean’s opening 63 at Houghton Golf Club had given him three shots to play with. His follow-up was a one-over-par 72, leaving him seven under after 36 holes and a single stroke ahead of Graham van der Merwe, Haydn Porteous and Altin van de Merwe.
The comfortable advantage had gone. The lead had not.
A Promising Start Takes an Abrupt Turn
Starting from the 10th, Follett-Smith made birdie immediately. Another low round was not an unreasonable thought at that point. Then five bogeys arrived over the following seven holes, and the arithmetic became rather less agreeable.
It was a startling contrast to the eight-under-par 63 that had established his first-round lead. A 63 gives a player options. It does not make the next 18 holes any shorter.
Follett-Smith managed to rebuild his scorecard with four more birdies during the round, including one on the ninth. A further bogey at the seventh contributed to a 72 that was nine strokes worse than his opening effort.
After six bogeys in total, however, he had somehow protected first place.
There was nothing especially tidy about the route. But tournament leaders are not judged on neatness.
Three Challengers Move Within One Shot
If Follett-Smith had left the door open, the chasing pack needed little encouragement.
Graham van der Merwe, third on The Courier Guy Order of Merit, signed for a three-under-par 68 to move to six under. Haydn Porteous joined him after returning a 69.
Altin van de Merwe produced the lowest score of the trio, a four-under 67. Already a Sunshine Tour winner this year following his victory at the FBC Zim Open, he now finds himself sharing second and within a single stroke of the lead.
That is quite a change from Thursday’s leaderboard, when Follett-Smith had established a three-shot cushion with his opening 63.
Nobody needed to match that score to get close. Three more measured rounds have done the job, and Follett-Smith now has company that looks considerably less inclined to disappear.
Order of Merit Contenders Remain in Range
The gap is hardly yawning behind them, either.
Austin Bautista sits just two shots off the lead at five under. The FNB Eswatini Challenge winner is currently second on The Courier Guy Order of Merit, one position ahead of Graham van der Merwe.
Their presence adds another dimension to the weekend. Two players prominent in the season-long standings are within striking distance, while Altin van de Merwe arrives in contention with a victory already secured this year.
The different routes these players have taken into contention make for an intriguing weekend at Houghton.
And with four golfers separated by a single shot at the top, there is little margin for another prolonged visit to bogey territory.
A Fourth Sunshine Tour Victory Remains in Sight
For Follett-Smith, there is a substantial prize beyond simply preserving his overnight position.
He is pursuing his fourth Sunshine Tour victory of the year, having already claimed three titles, including January’s Cell C Challenge.
That makes his Friday recovery important. The round may have been untidy, but it did not derail his opportunity to add another trophy to an already productive season.
His opening-round brilliance created the margin that allowed him to withstand a difficult afternoon. What Friday removed was the luxury of another one.
A lead of one is still a lead. At Houghton, though, it is no longer much of a hiding place.
