Aldrich Potgieter, the 20-year-old South African phenom, etched his name in golf history by winning the 2025 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club on Sunday, securing his first PGA Tour title in a dramatic five-hole playoff.
Outlasting Max Greyserman and Chris Kirk, Potgieter sealed the victory with an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th, finishing at 22-under par and claiming the $1.728 million prize.
Potgieter, the PGA Tour’s youngest player and longest hitter with a 326.6-yard driving average, started the final round with a two-shot lead but faltered early, bogeying two of his first five holes. A clutch birdie on the 17th forced a playoff, where he showcased resilience against the veteran Kirk and the steady Greyserman.
“I finally got one to the hole,” Potgieter said, reflecting on the winning putt that made him the youngest South African PGA Tour winner, surpassing Garrick Higgo’s record.
The victory, celebrated with an emotional embrace with his father, Heinrich, earned Potgieter exemptions into the 2026 Masters, PGA Championship, and The Players Championship, while boosting him to 36th in the FedExCup standings.
