Mexico’s Luis Carrera and Australia’s Austin Bautista, the Sunshine Tour’s two newest qualifying school graduates, will head into Sunday’s final round of the FBC ZIM Open chasing maiden victories on the tour at Royal Harare Golf Club.
Carrera heads the field on 14 under par following a third round of 69 on Saturday.
He is one stroke clear of Bautista, who signed for a 66.
South Africa’s MJ Viljoen remains in contention on 12 under par following his third round of 70.
How things stand ahead of the second round. 📊#FBCZimOpen #GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/j6ssCUnvwi
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) May 10, 2025
Carrera, who held the overnight lead, didn’t have the best of starts as he bogeyed the first hole while playing partner Viljoen signalled his intent with an eagle two at the first.
“MJ hit a great shot on the first and eagled, and I bogeyed so it was a three-shot swing. But there was still a lot of golf left and a lot of other players as well, so I needed to focus on my own game, which I did. It was a good round. I didn’t have my A game, but in the end I was happy that I was able to still play well,” said Carrera.
Carrera won the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School in April with a magnificent final round of 61 and is looking for a winning start to his career in South Africa.
Behind him, Bautista – another graduate from the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School – made the biggest move on Saturday with a sublime bogey-free 66.
The experienced Trevor Fisher Jnr and Hennie Otto will head into the final round in tied fourth place on nine under par.
Fisher Jnr. in particular may feel he is due a victory in the FBC Zim Open after twice finishing second in 2012 and 2017, losing in a playoff on both occasions.
Zimbabwe crowds. 🇿🇼 ❤️ #FBCZimOpen #GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/Ji87KpqmNn
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) May 10, 2025
SCORES:
202 - Luis Carrera 67 66 69
203 - Austin Bautista 67 70 66
204 - MJ Viljoen 68 66 70
207 - Trevor Fisher Jnr 69 70 68, Hennie Otto 66 71 70
209 - Fredrik From 70 70 69, Martin Rohwer 72 65 72
210 - Samuel Simpson 71 69 70
211 - Stefan Wears-Taylor 72 70 69, Robson Chinhoi 71 68 72, Jean Hugo 70 68 73
212 - Ricky Hendler 70 74 68, Jaco Prinsloo 70 71 71
213 - Tyran Snyders 74 71 68, JJ Senekal 70 72 71, Jacques Blaauw 69 73 71, Hennie O'Kennedy 74 67 72, Simon du Plooy 73 67 73, Ruan Conradie 71 69 73
214 - Quintin Wilsnach 73 72 69, Stals Swart 71 72 71, Dylan Mostert 69 74 71, Lyle Rowe 71 71 72, Heinrich Bruiners 70 72 72, Visitor Mapwanya 71 71 72, Doug McGuigan 67 73 74
215 - Stuart Krog 75 69 71, Kyle De Beer 71 73 71, Kyle Barker 70 73 72, Herman Loubser 75 68 72, Tristen Strydom 74 69 72, Jake Redman 71 72 72
216 - Tonderai Masunga 75 70 71, Rupert Kaminski 71 72 73, Nyasha Muyambo 70 73 73, Estiaan Conradie 73 69 74, Kyle McClatchie 70 72 74, Malcolm Mitchell 72 69 75
217 - Graham van der Merwe 75 70 72, Jacques P de Villiers 76 69 72, Jaco Van Zyl 70 72 75, Oliver Bekker 71 70 76
218 - Mikkel Antonsen 72 73 73, Ruan Korb 73 69 76, Matthew Spacey 72 69 77, Warwick Purchase 68 72 78
219 - Neil Schietekat 74 71 74, Christiaan Burke 70 75 74, Luke Jerling 73 72 74, Pierre Viallaneix 75 70 74, David Meyers 70 74 75, Christiaan Basson 68 76 75, Shaahid Mahmed 73 71 75, Rhys West 70 72 77, Brandon Meads 69 73 77
220 - Luke Brown 75 69 76, Ryan Cairns 70 73 77
221 - Gerhard Pepler 73 71 77
222 - Keegan Mclachlan 72 73 77, Jack Hawksby 72 73 77, Tyrone Ryan 67 77 78, Dayne Moore 74 70 78
223 - Joe Knox 73 71 79
224 - Werner Deyzel 72 71 81
Missed the cut:
146 - Jason Roets 73 73, Toto Thimba Jnr 74 72, Xander Basson 72 74, Danie Van Niekerk 74 72, Promise Sombreiro 75 71, JC Ritchie 69 77
147 - Jordan Burnand 73 74, Madalitso Muthiya 78 69, Thomas Spreadborough 72 75, Pierre Pellegrin 79 68, Jordan Duminy 71 76, Michael Hollick 78 69, Hunter Epson 74 73
148 - Albert Venter 75 73, CJ du Plessis 79 69, Greg Snow 72 76, Tongoona Charamba 76 72, Conner Mackenzie 75 73, Otto Van Buynder 76 72, David Amm 75 73, Nevy Milazi 73 75
149 - Pride Sembo 72 77, Joe Long 76 73, Liam Grehan 81 68, Rowan Lester 75 74, Chikayambidze Darlington 78 71, Wynand Dingle 81 68, Matt Millar 74 75, Louis de Jager 73 76, Ruan de Smidt 73 76, Christian Kriek 78 71, Jacquin Hess 71 78, Gregory Mckay 71 78
150 - Paul Adam Chidale 70 80, Hayden Griffiths 74 76, Celestin Nsanzuwera 78 72, Franklin Manchest 74 76, Rourke van der Spuy 76 74, Benjamin Van Wyk 75 75, Martin Vorster 74 76
151 - Clive Nguru 72 79, Eric Wowor 73 78, Peter Karmis 77 74, Devon Valentine 75 76, Christopher Long 73 78, Sean Cronje 75 76, Keegan Shutt 75 76
152 - Shijie Li 76 76, Mohammad Rauf Mandhu 82 70, Ryan van der Klis 76 76, James Mack 78 74
153 - Slenda Sithebe 73 80, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 76 77, Tanaka Chatora 75 78, Slade Pickering 75 78, Stephen Ferreira 79 74, Ronald Rugumayo 75 78, Lucky Ayisa 75 78
154 - Michael Wallace 75 79, Mutahi Kibugu 80 74, Paul Boshoff 76 78, Keagan Thomas 75 79, Tristin Galant 74 80, Leon Vorster 76 78, Biggie Chibvuri 76 78
155 - Luca Filippi 81 74, Callum Mowat 76 79, Brian Gondo 78 77, Trainos Muradzikwa 76 79
156 - Keanu Pestana 78 78
157 - Simon Murungweni 75 82, Tafara Mpofu 80 77, Nick Cunningham 84 73
158 - Kayyam Rauf Mandhu 79 79, Gabriel Chibale 77 81
159 - Bradley Kulaisi 79 80, Keelan Africa 80 79
160 - Dylan O'Leary 81 79, Terrance Keith 84 76, Braydon Amm 78 82
162 - Akil Yousuf 84 78, Kelvin Muchenje 83 79, Morton Kombai 81 81
165 - Tawana Mangoma 82 83, Nerudo Mregi 83 82
167 - Davison Elijah 84 83, Victor Kachepatsonga 83 84
169 - Emile Nshimyumuremyi 83 86, Robinson Owiti 87 82
173 - Matipaishe Pasipanodya 88 85
RTD - Umar Davids 85 RTD, Tyron Davidowitz 75 RTD