LARRY LAGE Sports Writer.

Aldrich Potgieter made an 18-foot putt for birdie on the fifth playoff hole, outlasting Max Greyserman to win the Rocket Classic on Sunday. It was the longest playoff of the season on the PGA Tour. The 20-year-old from South Africa is the youngest player on the tour and its biggest hitter. He became the ninth player to win for the first time this season. Chris Kirk was eliminated from contention after failing to make a 4-foot putt on the second hole after pushing a 9-foot putt past the cup on the first extra hole with a chance to win the tournament. Potgieter, two strokes ahead entering the round, closed with a 3-under 69, and Greyserman and Kirk each shot 67.

Aldrich Potgieter had five straight birdies to surge into the third-round lead and finished with a 7-under 65 on Saturday for a two-shot edge. The 20-year-old rookie started the week averaging 326.6 yards off the tee, several yards longer than Rory McIlroy. The PGA Tour’s youngest player will be shooting for his first win on the tour Sunday. Max Greyserman, Jake Knapp, Mark Hubbard, Andrew Putnam and Chris Kirk were two shots back. Fifth-ranked Collin Morikawa shot a 68 to start the final round four shots back, hoping to rally for his first win since 2023.

Kevin Roy and Aldrich Potgieter each shot 10-under 62 on Thursday to break the Rocket Classic record and share the first-round lead. Detroit Golf Club has been one of the easiest courses since the PGA Tour made it an annual stop in 2019. A pair of Korn Ferry graduates took full advantage. Potgieter, the 20-year-old South African who grew up in Australia, started at No. 10 and set a tournament record with a 7-under 29 on the back nine. He added three birdies on his back nine and caught the left edge on a 12-foot putt on his final hole. Potgieter and Roy each had an eagle and eight birdies in bogey-free rounds. Min Woo Lee, Max Greyserman and Mark Hubbard were a stroke back.