The energy of youth topped the experience of age.
Aldrich Potgieter, a 20-year-old South African, birdied the fifth playoff hole to defeat Max Greyserman and Chris Kirk to win the 2025 Rocket Classic on Sunday in Detroit.
Potgieter poured in an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-3 15th hole at Detroit Golf Club.
“It was definitely a tough day,” Potgieter said. “The start didn’t go my way, I struggled to make putts, left a lot short. Finally got one to the hole, and I just saw the ball roll end over end and I knew it was going to go in.”
Potgieter shot a final-round 3-under 69 at Detroit Golf Club for a 72-hole total of 22-under 268. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle
Greyserman, 30, shot a bogey-free 5-under 67. The Duke grad, who ranked second in SG: Putting for the week, led the field with most putts of more than 10 feet but couldn’t convert from 12 feet to win in regulation and had multiple chances in the playoff but his putter went cold.
“This one’s going to sting for a little bit, but I’ll get back to work in two weeks,” he said. “Yeah, just wasn’t my time.”
Kirk, the grizzled vet at 40 and with six previous Tour titles, shot 5-under 67 on Sunday but missed from 16 feet at 18 in regulation and from 9 feet on the first playoff hole that would have won it. He took three putts on the second playoff hole and made bogey and was eliminated from the playoff.
“It’s a shame that first playoff hole, hit just three perfect shots and misread that putt a little bit,” Kirk said. “That’s the way it goes sometimes, unfortunately.”
Potgieter turned professional in 2023 and became the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history by winning the 2024 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at age 19. At 20 years, 9 months, 16 days on Sunday, he became the seventh-youngest PGA Tour winner since the start of 1983, and the youngest player from South Africa ever to win on the PGA Tour.
