His mother, Helen (née de Beer), was an accomplished sportswoman, representing Northern Rhodesia in hockey.

As the first multi-racial, non-denominational and co-educational school in the region, it was a political statement in the face of apartheid South Africa.

[1] Friedlander transferred to Oral Roberts University as a college junior where he won six tournaments and was named to the 1994–95 NCAA Division 1 Academic All-American Team.

He had multiple wins including the 1992 Elkins Lake Fall Classic,[2] the 1992 Boatmen's Bank Collegiate, the 1993 Hal Sutton Intercollegiate Classic, was a medalist at the 1993 Oklahoma State Amateur tournament,[3] and won the 1994 UALR Intercollegiate.

He was forced to play in the Tour Qualifying Tournament at Crown Mines GC in Johannesburg, which he won.

[8] In 1998, Friedlander won the Stenham Royal Swazi Sun Open in a playoff with Scott Dunlap, an official event on the Sunshine Tour in his home country of Eswatini.