Aldrich Potgieter Wins 2025 Rocket Classic in a Playoff
Detroit, MI – Aldrich Potgieter (-22) won the 2025 Rocket Classic in a playoff, defeating Chris Kirk and Max Greyserman. After all three players made par on the first playoff hole, the par 4 18th, they headed to the par 3 15th where Greyserman was the only player to get it within a reasonable birdie range. He wasn’t able to convert, Kirk made bogey, and the two moved on to the par 4 16th where both made par before moving onto the fourth playoff hole, the par 5 14th. They still weren’t able to be separated until Potgieter drained a long putt on the fifth playoff hole.
Potgieter entered the final round leading the tournament, two strokes in front of Greyserman, Kirk, Jake Knapp, Mark Hubbard, and Andrew Putnam. The tournament tends to produce birdie fest and consequently a bunched up leaderboard and that’s exactly what we saw this week as players of all stripes systematically took apart Detroit Golf Club. The golf course is scheduled for a renovation this year but it remains to be seen if it will become more of a challenge for the world’s best.
Finishing behind the playoff trio were Michael Thorbjornsen and Jake Knapp one stroke back at -21. Nico Echavarria and Jackson Suber finished one back of them at -20. While many of these players near the top of the leaderboard epitomize the bombers that typically do well at this tournament, Kirk showed that you don’t have to be one of the longest hitters on tour to have success.
It was Potgieter’s second experience in a playoff in his short PGA Tour career. The 20-year-old South African lost to Brian Campbell earlier this year in Mexico after Campbell’s errant tee shot miraculously ricocheted out of the jungle and back into play. With the win, he becomes the youngest South African to win on the PGA Tour.
Other players who had notable finishes included Collin Morikawa, the highest ranked player in the field fresh off a caddie switch, as well as former US Open champion searching to regain his best form, Matt Fitzpatrick (both T8, -19); stars Min Woo Lee and Hideki Matsuyama both finished T13 at -18.
Some of the bigger names in the field did struggle and failed to make the cut at -6, among them Wyndham Clark, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, and Tom Kim.
Next week, the PGA Tour heads to the Quad Cities for the John Deere Classic. Davis Thompson is the defending champion there and will contend against a field that includes the likes of Jason Day, Ben Griffin, Luke Clanton, and Michael Thorbjornsen.
Aldrich Potgieter What’s In The Bag
Driver: Titleist GT2 9° (Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X)
3 Wood: PING G440 MAX (Fujikura Ventus TR Black)
Utility: Titleist T250 2 Iron (Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 90 TX)
Irons: Titleist T150 4-5, T100 6-9 (KBS Tour V Ten 130 X)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 46°-10F, 52°-12F, 54°-10S, WedgeWorks 60°-K (KBS Tour V Ten 130 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Onyx X100, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Onyx S400)
Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Tour Prototype
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