IN PHOTOS: New leader after 2nd round of Lowvelder Golf Challenge 2026
With 8 rounds of the Lowvelder Golf Challenge remaining, the winner of a year's free membership to Mbombela Golf Club is yet to be decided.
Charl Baird scored 46 Stableford points to win the second round of the 2026 Lowvelder Golf Challenge, followed by Ben Botha with 40 points.
The March edition of the challenge was played at Mbombela Golf Club last Wednesday, March 11.
Danie Bezuidenhout claimed third place on 39 points and moved straight to first place on the leaderboard of the 2026 challenge.
His 39 points, together with 36 points from the first round, give him a total of 75 points and bragging rights as log leader.
John Ross Tapson retains second place overall for March, with his 33 points putting him on 72.
George Wilson is third on the log, also on 72.
Round one leader Jaco Potgieter did not play the most recent competition and fell from first to 29th place.
The 2025 runner-up, Rian Joubert, who topped the log for much of last year’s edition, is back to contend for the title.
After two rounds he is in 20th place with 60 points. It is still early days, and over the coming rounds he is likely to move up the log table.
Last year’s third-placed finisher, Leon Wait, is 23rd on the log with 58 points. No doubt he will also be determined to shoot up the log, come the halfway mark in June.
Octopi Smart Solutions and Du Toit-Smuts and Partners Attorneys are sponsors of the challenge for the third consecutive year. A new sponsor on board for 2026 is Castle Lager Double Malt.
With a year’s membership at Mbombela Golf Club up for grabs, there is everything and more to play for over the next eight golf days. The third instalment in the series will be played on April 22.
Players are responsible for booking their own rounds and carts by contacting the club on 013 744 0952. Eligibility for prizes requires attending the prize-giving ceremony. Participants must be affiliated with a club and hold an official handicap.
