Aldrich Potgieter sank an 18-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole to defeat Max Greyserman and win the Rocket Classic for his first PGA Tour victory.
“I finally got one to the hole,” Potgieter said after several near misses on the greens by the two men resulted in the longest playoff of the season, which had Potgieter’s father, Heinrich, shaking his head until that final putt.
The 20-year-old native of South Africa is the youngest player on the tour and its biggest hitter, averaging 326-plus yards off the tee. He became the ninth player to win for the first time this season, earning $1.73 million.
Potgieter was born in South Africa, moved to Australia when he was 8 and returned to South Africa at age 17 because the COVID-19 pandemic limited his opportunities to compete.
“We had to give up a lot, moving to Australia, moving back,” he said. “Emigrating is definitely not the easiest thing. Coming alone at the start of my career to the States and giving it a grind, and having my dad here has helped so much.”
Potgieter won the British Amateur at the age of 17 and became the youngest Korn Ferry Tour winner last year, paving the way for him to become the second-youngest player to earn a PGA Tour card through the minor league just after his 20th birthday. The youngest was Jason Day, who was 19 in 2007.
Also in the playoff was Chris Kirk, who shot a closing 5-under-par 67 along with Greyserman to finish at 22 under. Potgieter, who shot a 10-under 62 to share the first-round lead with Kevin Roy, had a two-shot lead entering the final round. He closed with a 69.
Rocket Classic: Plenty of Playoff Drama
Greyserman and Potgieter each had opportunities to win on the 72nd hole at Detroit Golf Club, but couldn’t convert their birdie putts to break their tie with Kirk, who was the 36-hole leader.
After making birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to get to 22 under, Greyserman missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th. Potgieter came up five feet short on an uphill, 42-foot putt.
Kirk had an excellent chance to win on the first playoff hole, but he missed a nine-foot birdie putt. He was eliminated on the second playoff hole when he three-putted from 56 feet, missing a 3-foot, 9-inch par putt.
Greyserman, 30, who also was looking for his first tour triumph, had the best chance to win on the second playoff hole. He hit his tee shot on the 158-yard par-3 15th hole to 11 feet, but his birdie putt just slid past the hole.
“This one’s going to sting for a little bit,” Greyserman said.
Meanwhile, Potgieter’s tee shot flew the green into deep rough. He had made bogey from that rough during regulation. This time he popped out the ball, which came to rest just over six feet from the hole, and sank the par putt to extend the playoff.
On the third playoff hole, the par-4 16th, both Greyserman and Potgieter missed 16-foot birdie putts.
At the par-5 14th, Greyserman hit his drive 361 yards — his longest of the week — and was just 2 yards behind Potgieter’s bomb. Potgieter hit his approach from 195 yards to 19 feet, and pulled his eagle putt. Greyserman two-putted from 29 feet for birdie.
Back at No. 15 for the second time in the playoff, Greyserman missed his birdie putt from 34 feet and Potgieter sank his winning 18-footer.
“Just wasn’t my time,” said Greyserman, who finished second for the fourth time in the past two seasons.
Knapp Sets Course Record
Michael Thorbjornsen (67) and Jake Knapp (68) finished a stroke out of the playoff. Knapp set a course record in the second round with a 61.
Collin Morikawa shot a closing 68 to finish at 19 under and in an eighth-place tie. The two-time major winner, who was the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 5 in the world, has not won since October 2023 at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
John Deere Classic
Defending champion Davis Thompson is back at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. He earned his first PGA Tour victory by four shots last year while setting a tournament record at 28-under 256.
Others in the field include Rickie Fowler, who is making his first start in the tournament since his rookie year in 2010. Fowler is No. 72 in the FedExCup standings.
Tour rookie Luke Clanton, who tied for second in the tournament last year as an amateur, is making his fourth start this season as a professional. He missed the cut at the RBC Canadian Open, tied for 34th at the Travelers Championship, and tied for 60th at the Rocket Classic.
Zach Johnson, who is making his 23rd career start at the John Deere Classic, has seven top-10s at the event, highlighted by a win in 2012 and runner-up finishes in 2009, 2013, and 2014.
