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Another South African, Thriston Lawrence, is also smiling all the way to the bank.
SA’s Aldrich Potgieter poses with the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on Sunday. Picture: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
South African golfer Aldrich Potgieter has become the country’s youngest winner on the US PGA Tour after the 20-year-old captured the Rocket Classic at the Detroit Golf Club on Sunday.
Potgieter won a thrilling three-man playoff, that lasted more than an hour, against Chris Kirk and Max Greyserman after all three men finished the 72 holes on a score of 22-under-par. It required five additional holes for the winner to be determined.
It was Potgieter’s first win on the tour after just 20 starts.
The victory for the South African earned him $1,728,000 — in Rand terms R30,7 million.
‘Tough day’
Potgieter also finished tied sixth at the previous week’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
“Finally got one to the hole and saw the ball roll end over end and just knew it was going to go in,” Potgieter told AFP after missing winning putts on two prior extra holes in the playoff.
“I’m just happy to walk away as a winner.”
Atter spending much of the first three days atop the leaderboard Potgieter struggled in the early stages on Sunday and he made two bogeys in the first five holes. However, he battled back with birdies on three of the last six holes and made a five-foot par putt at 18 to make the playoff.
“It was definitely a tough day,” Potgieter said. “The start didn’t go my way. I struggled to make putts, left a lot short.
“Big thanks to my family and friends, coaches and everyone who has been involved to get me to this point,” Potgieter said, noting his family’s sacrifice for his career.
“We had to give up a lot, moving to Australia, moving back. Emigrating is definitely not the easiest thing. Coming alone at the start of my career to the States and giving it a grind … having my dad here has helped so much.”
Another South African golfer, Thriston Lawrence, also enjoyed a good few days at the Detroit club, finishing in a tie for eighth on 19-under-par and banking $261,600 — in Rand terms R4,65 million.
