Thomas Spreadborough of England led no fewer than 16 players from countries other than South Africa into the Final Stage as he topped the leaderboard on Friday after the final round of the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School-First Stage at Benoni Country Club.

Spreadborough led the first round, and he carded a closing four-under-par 68 to move to two-under for the 72 holes. That gave him a share of top honours with South African amateur Pedro Cristovam, who closed with a one-under-par 71.

Overnight leader Brandon Pieters kept his hopes of qualifying again for the Sunshine Tour with his closing one-over 73 taking him to one-under for the tournament and a share of third. Also on one-under was halfway leader Carlo Heunis, who closed with a level-par 72, and American Thomas Strandemo, who also had a final round of one-over.

With the top 40 and ties making their way into the field next week at Heron Banks for the Qualifying School-Final Stage, players from England, the United States, Germany, Ireland, Uganda and Zimbabwe joined the local hopefuls trying to make their way into the professional ranks.