Aldrich Potgieter claimed his first PGA Tour title at the Rocket Classic, prevailing after a marathon play-off in Detroit.
The 20-year-old South African made an 18-foot birdie putt on the fifth play-off hole to defeat Max Greyserman at Detroit Country Club.
“I finally got one to the hole,” Potgieter said, after missed opportunities on the green by three players led to the longest play-off of the season on the tour.
Potgieter is the youngest player on the PGA Tour and its biggest hitter, averaging over 326 yards off the tee. He became the ninth player to win for the first time this season.
Potgieter poses with the Rocket Classic trophy
Potgieter previously won the British Amateur title 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.
Chris Kirk was eliminated after missing a four-foot putt on the second play-off hole – that after pushing a nine-foot putt past the cup on the first extra hole with a chance to win.
Greyserman and Potgieter each had opportunities to win and end it on the 72nd hole at Detroit Golf Club, but could not convert on birdie opportunities to break a tie at 22 under par with Kirk.
“This one’s going to sting for a little bit,” Greyserman said. Potgieter, two strokes ahead entering the round, closed with a three-under 69, and Greyserman and Kirk each shot 67.
Potgieter celebrates his winning putt
Matt Fitzpatrick enjoyed an encouraging return to form just over a fortnight before The Open with a top-eight finish.
The Yorkshireman shot 67 on the last day to card four sub-70 rounds in a PGA Tour event for the first time since April last year and while that lifted him to 19 under, it was still three short of getting into the play-off.
Matt Fitzpatrick is starting to find some form ahead of The Open
An eagle at the fourth helped him to a four-under outward nine of 32 but after a bogey at the 12th, he could only birdie the two par-five holes down the stretch which prevented him from challenging the leaders.
However, the tie for eighth was Fitzpatrick’s joint-best finish in almost 13 months, having finished in a similar spot in May’s US PGA Championship.
Collin Morikawa, meanwhile, is still waiting to end his drought. He shot a 68 to also finish on 19 under. The two-time major winner, who was the highest-ranked player in the field at No 5 in the world, has not won the PGA Tour since October 2023 at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who rose to No 7 in the world after winning the Travelers Championship last week, finished in a tie for 41st.
The PGA Tour continues with the John Deere Classic, watch live on Sky Sports Golf, starting with early coverage from 7pm on Thursday – or stream without a contract.
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