Aldrich Potgieter won his first PGA Tour title as he held his nerve in a five-hole playoff to land the Rocket Classic in Detroit.
The 20-year-old former Joondalup Country Club member is the youngest player on the tour this season – as well as being its biggest hitter, averaging 298.6m off the tee.
Still finding his feet at the top level, Potgieter’s season had featured nine missed cuts from 13 events prior to the Rocket Classic.
However, he had shown signs of what he’s capable of with a playoff loss at the Mexico Open in February and T6th finish at the Charles Schwabb Challenge in May.
A new set of Titleist T-Series irons irons evidently did Potgieter the world of good in Detroit as he came out of the blocks fast with a course-record-equalling 10-under-par 62 in Round 1 to take a share of the lead.
He remained in contention throughout the championship and held a two-stroke lead heading into the final round but was pegged back by a stacked chasing pack that included Major winners Collin Morikawa and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Chris Kirk set a clubhouse target of 22-under-par, which Potgieter had a chance to better on the final hole but came up just short with a long birdie putt.
It led to a three-way playoff between Potgieter, Kirk and Max Greyserman, which saw Potgieter edge Greyserman with a 18-foot birdie at the fifth extra hole.
Breaking records for fun
As well as earning him a cool US$1.73m and two-year tour exemption, Potgieter’s victory has firmly established him as one of the world’s leading young talents.
Born in South Africa, Potgieter moved to Perth with his family at the age of eight where his prodigious golfing talent was soon evident.
In 2020, at the age of 15, he won the WA Boys’ Amateur Championship. A year later he added the Men’s equivalent to his reumé.
The COVID pandemic brought about Potgieter’s relocation to South Africa in 2022 to enable him to play more competitive golf. From then on has never looked back.
Aldrich Potgieter won the 2021 WA Men’s Amateur Championship, with Joondalup clubmate Amie Phobubpa winning the Women’s
The same year, aged 17, he became the second-youngest winner of The Amateur Championship in the UK. Then, after turning pro in 2023, he became the youngest-ever Korn Ferry Tour winner at age 19 when he claimed victory at the 2024 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.
That helped him seal a PGA Tour card for 2025, where he has now become the ninth youngest player in 40 years to win a title.
And while he officially represents South Africa, there’s no doubt that Potgieter is considered ‘one of us’ by WA golf fans.
He has dual SA/Australian nationality and learned his trade at Lakelands and Joondalup Country Club. He would have represented WA at the 2020 Boys Interstate Teams Matches had they not been cancelled due to COVID-19.
Potgieter’s long-time coach David Milne says the future’s bright for his talented protégé.
“It was a real battle for him (in Detroit) but he hung in there with his B-Game, so all credit to him,” Milne told GolfWA.
“I would say the sky’s the limit now. People forget how young Aldrich is. He’s only 20 and he’s still learning and there are still a lot of areas of his game he can improve on.”
Milne has no doubt that Potgieter’s win will be very warmly received by all those that know him in WA golfing circles.
“Aldrich is a very popular figure here,” he added. “He’s a great personality and a very nice guy off the course. I’m really pleased for him.”
Main image: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Keep up with the latest WA golf news news via the GolfWA news section and our Facebook and Insta accounts. You can also subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter here.
