Loubser Takes Commanding Lead at Mopani Zambia Open After Masterclass in Resilience

There are days when golf rewards perfection, and there are days when it rewards grit. On Friday at Nkana Golf Club in Kitwe, Zambia, Herman Loubser proved that championship leads can be built not only with flawless drives but also with sheer resilience and a short game to envy. With the Mopani Zambia Open halfway through, Loubser stands three shots clear at the top of the leaderboard — a testament to cool nerves, clever recovery, and a touch of magic around the greens.

While his five-under-par 67 mirrored his first-round score, the journey was far from smooth. Loubser battled wayward tee shots and even endured a double bogey on the 10th hole. But in true champion style, he steadied the ship with deft chips and clutch putts that kept the momentum alive. His performance not only gives him the 36-hole lead at 10 under par but also sets the tone for a weekend where composure might matter more than raw firepower.

Here is the press release as received:

Loubser moves three clear in Mopani Zambia Open

For Immediate Release
6 JUNE 2025

KITWE, Zambia – Herman Loubser followed up his first round 67 with another five-under-par 67 on Friday to take a commanding three-stroke lead into the weekend of the Mopani Zambia Open played at the Nkana Golf Club.

But it was a round in which he had to rely heavily on his short game as he also overcame a double bogey on the 10th on his way to claiming the lead on 10 under par.

“I didn’t hit the ball that good today, especially off the tee. I left myself a lot of work to do with the short game, but luckily my short game was really good today. My short game saved me today,” he said.

His nearest challenger is Samuel Simpson on seven under par following his round of 65 on Friday. There are a group of players on six under including defending champion MJ Viljoen and veteran Hennie Otto.

Heading into the weekend, Loubser’s gameplan is to keep things simple.

“I’m just going to try to hit the ball a bit better. I’ll keep the putting and chipping as is. But I need to just try to hit a few more fairways. This course gets tricky once you miss,” he said.

Simpson, who has already had two top-10 finishes this year, is also looking forward to a big weekend.

“I got off to a solid start today. My gameplan was just to birdie the par-fives and to plot my way around the golf course. I turned in four under and then just stuck to the strategy. There are still two more rounds, the course isn’t easy, and I’ve just got to stick to my processes. If it adds up to a good total at the end, I will be happy.”

At just four strokes off the lead, Otto is hoping his experience will count on the weekend.

“The golf course is in unbelievable condition, but it gives and takes. You need a bit of luck, especially on the greens. The key this weekend is patience.”

SCORES

134 – Herman Loubser 67 67
137 – Samuel Simpson 72 65
138 – Hennie Otto 67 71, MJ Viljoen 68 70, Luke Jerling 70 68, Matthew Spacey 71 67, Quintin Wilsnach 70 68
139 – Warwick Purchase 69 70, Jacques Blaauw 73 66
140 – Graham van der Merwe 73 67, Fredrik From 68 72, Luke Brown 74 66
141 – Liam Grehan 75 66, Heinrich Bruiners 72 69, Neil Schietekat 72 69, JJ Senekal 70 71, Lyle Rowe 71 70, Keegan Mclachlan 72 69, Aaron Simfukwe Jnr 70 71, Xander Basson 74 67, Stefan Wears-Taylor 74 67
142 – Stals Swart 72 70, Jake Redman 74 68, Jacques P de Villiers 69 73, Ethan Smith 71 71, Benjamin Van Wyk 72 70, Ryan van der Klis 73 69
143 – Danie Van Niekerk 75 68, Wynand Dingle 72 71, Kyle De Beer 72 71, Daniel Cronje 74 69, Simon du Plooy 71 72, Martin Vorster 73 70, Dayne Moore 72 71
144 – Pierre Viallaneix 71 73, Martin Rohwer 74 70, Altin van der Merwe 76 68, Austin Bautista 72 72
145 – Paul Boshoff 71 74, Ruan Conradie 73 72, Louis Albertse 71 74, Jaco Prinsloo 76 69, Rourke van der Spuy 72 73, Jack Hawksby 73 72, Daniel van Tonder 75 70, Tomas Gana 69 76, Thomas Spreadborough 74 71, Jason Roets 73 72, Trevor Fisher Jnr 74 71, Ruan Korb 74 71, Carter Rowe 73 72
146 – Stuart Krog 71 75, Robson Chinhoi 76 70, Christiaan Burke 72 74, Kyle McClatchie 72 74, Franklin Manchest 69 77, Michael Chuma 76 70
147 – Keagan Thomas 74 73, Marcel Steyn Scholtz 73 74, Tristen Strydom 74 73, Jordan Burnand 73 74, Jordan Duminy 72 75, CJ du Plessis 76 71, Gerhard Pepler 75 72, Stephen Ferreira 73 74

Missed the cut:
148 – Rowan Lester, Rupert Kaminski, Ricky Hendler, Hayden Griffiths, James Mack, Luca Filippi
149 – Toto Thimba Jnr, Francois van Staden, Robert Mofya, Gabriel Chibale, Wallie Coetsee, Hennie O’Kennedy
150 – Dylan Mostert, Pierre Pellegrin
…
(Full leaderboard continues as per release)

With two rounds remaining, all eyes will be on Loubser to see if he can sustain his momentum or whether the likes of Simpson, Otto, and Viljoen can mount a weekend charge. At a venue known for rewarding patience and punishing missteps, the Mopani Zambia Open is far from decided. But if Friday was anything to go by, it will be a gripping ride to the finish.