Aldrich Potgieter overcame American pair Chris Kirk and Max Greyserman in a five-hole play-off to collect a maiden PGA TOUR title at the Rocket Classic.
The 20-year-old South African, the youngest player on the PGA TOUR and one of the biggest hitters, found himself level with both Erik and Greyserman at the top of the leaderboard on 22 under following 72 holes at Detroit Golf Club.
The trio returned to the 18th for the play-off which saw three par the hole. But on the second hole, the 15th, Kirk’s chances of winning ended after he bogeyed the hole and both Potgieter and Greyserman parred. Potgieter and Greyserman could not be separated in the following two extra holes, the 16th and 14th. But on the fifth play-off hole, the South African sunk a sublime 18-foot birdie putt after Greyserman saw his attempt roll past to seal his first victory on the PGA TOUR.
“I finally got one to the hole,” Potgieter said following his triumph in what was the longest play-off on the PGA TOUR so far this season.
The victory has earned Potgieter the $1.728 million winners prize which has helped significantly boost his overall earnings on the PGA TOUR. He also joins an illustrious list of golfers including Rory McIlroy, Seve Ballesteros, Joaquin Niemann, and Tom Kim as one of only five players not from the U.S. to have won their first PGA TOUR title before the age of 21 in the past 100 years.
Greyserman remains winless on the PGA TOUR, recording his four runner-up finish.
“This one’s going to sting for a little bit,” he said.
American duo Michael Thorbjornsen and Jake Knapp finished in a tie for fourth on 21 under.
What is the next event?
The next event on the PGA TOUR schedule is the John Deere Classic taking place between 3-6 July at TPC Deere Run in Illinois.