Benjamin Follett-Smith Explained

Benjamin Follett-Smith
Birth Date:9 March 1994
Birth Place:Harare, Zimbabwe
College:Mississippi State University
Yearpro:2018
Tour:Sunshine Tour
Challenge Tour
Extour:Asian Tour
Big Easy Tour
Prowins:4
Sunwins:2
Chalwins:1
Otherwins:2
Award1:Sunshine Tour
Rookie of the Year
Year1:2018–19

Benjamin Follett-Smith (born 9 March 1994) is a Zimbabwean professional golfer who plays on the Sunshine Tour and the Challenge Tour. He represented Zimbabwe in the 2018 World Cup of Golf and has won the Cape Town Open twice.

Early life and amateur career

Follett-Smith was born in Harare and educated at St. John's College. He was ranked as Zimbabwe's number one amateur golfer and won the 2012 All-Africa Junior Championship, and represented Zimbabwe in the All-Africa Team Championships.

Follett-Smith attended Mississippi State University from 2013 to 2017, majoring in marketing, as well as playing golf with the Mississippi State Bulldogs men's golf team.[1]

Professional career

Follett-Smith turned professional in 2018 and joined the Sunshine Tour. In September he won Challenge 9 on the Big Easy Tour, its development circuit.

He represented Zimbabwe at the 2018 World Cup of Golf, together with Scott Vincent.[2]

In February 2020, Follett-Smith recorded a one-shot victory at the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.[3] However, with the 2020 and 2021 seasons largely lost to the pandemic, his first full season on the Asian Tour was 2022, where he had limited success.[4]

Follett-Smith won the Cape Town Open at Royal Cape Golf Club in 2019 and again in 2023, when the event was co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour.[5]

Amateur wins

Source:[6]

Professional wins (4)

Sunshine Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runners-up
110 Feb 2019RAM Cape Town Open−13 (68-69-72-66=275)2 strokes Zander Lombard, Jean-Paul Strydom
25 Feb 2023Bain's Whisky Cape Town Open1 (2)−15 (68-68-67-70=273)1 stroke Ugo Coussaud, Jaco van Zyl
1Co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour

Challenge Tour wins (1)

1Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour

Clutch Pro Tour wins (1)

Team appearances

Professional

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Men's Golf Roster: Ben Follett-Smith . . 17 April 2023.
  2. Web site: Coley . Ben . World Cup of Golf: Team-by-team guide to this week's event in Australia . Sporting Life . 17 April 2023 . 21 November 2018.
  3. News: Asian Tour card excites Follett-Smith . Daily News . Zimbabwe . 17 April 2023 . 25 February 2020.
  4. Web site: Follett-Smith finishes top of the class . The Nation Thailand . 17 April 2023.
  5. News: Follett-Smith wins in Cape Town to secure maiden Challenge Tour title . Gulf News . 17 April 2023 . 6 February 2023.
  6. Web site: Benjamin Follett-Smith . World Amateur Golf Ranking . 18 April 2023.