Detroit – Aldrich Podgiter finished the long-running Rocket Classic, making an 18-foot birdie putt in the fifth playoff hole, overtaking Max Glazerman for his first PGA Tour title on Sunday.
“I finally got one in the hall,” Podge Geyser said that it led to the longest playoff of the season on the tour after three players missed opportunities on the green.
He was celebrated by embracing his caddy and shaking hands with Glazermann and his caddy before giving him a hug to his father Heinrich.
The 20-year-old Potgieter is the youngest player on the tour and his biggest hitter, averaging over 326 yards off the tee. He became the ninth player to win for the first time this season.
Potgieter was born in South Africa and moved to Australia at the age of 8 and returned to South Africa at the age of 17.
“We had to give up a lot, move to Australia and come back,” he said. “Moving is definitely not the easiest thing to do. I’ll come to the state alone at the start of my career and crush it. And having a father here will go a long way.”
Potgieter won the British amateur at the age of 17, becoming the youngest winner of the Korn Ferry Tour last year, and became the second Youngest player to win a PGA Tour card through the minor leagues shortly after his 20th birthday. The youngest was Jason Day, who was 19 years old in 2007.
Chris Kirk was eliminated after missing a 4-foot putt in the second playoff hole.
Glazerman and Podgiator each had the opportunity to win on the 72nd hole at Detroit Golf Club, but failed to break the tie at 22 under on a birdie chance.
“This is going to be stabbed for a moment,” Glazerman said.
Potgieter, two strokes into the round, closing with a 3-under 69, with Glazerman and Kirk each shooting 67 shots.
Glazerman missed a 12-foot putt, while Podgiator appeared on a 42-foot putt uphill. It was set up with the opportunity to win Kirk, but he couldn’t take advantage of it. After Glazerman putts from 39 feet for a par, Podgilator did the same from 20 feet, then Kirk had the opportunity to push to the right of the cup to win with a 9-foot putt.
The trio then went for a 158-yard par 3, with Glazerman being the only person accurate from the tee, but he didn’t take advantage of it.
This trend followed on the par 4 on the 16th, when both Glazerman and Podgillator missed a 16-foot putt and missed a chance to win.
On the par 5 14th, Glazerman hit a drive of 361 yards (longest of the week) and was just two yards behind the Podgiators’ explosion. Potgieter hit an approach from 195 yards to 19 feet and pulled a putt. Glazerman put two putts from 29 feet for birdie.
Returning to 15th place for the second time in the playoffs, Glazerman putts from 34 feet twice before Podgirator finally finished.
“It wasn’t just my time,” Glazerman said.
Michael Thorbjornsen (67) and Jake Knapp (68) finished their strokes from the playoffs. Meanwhile, Morikawa’s Colin is still waiting to end the drought.
He shot 68 and finished 19 with a tie that was eighth at the age of 19. The two-time major winner, the world’s fifth-ranked field top player, has not won the PGA Tour at the Japan Zozo Championship since October 2023.
After winning the Travelers Championship last week, Captain Kiegan Bradley of the Ryder Cup, who finished seventh in the world, concluded with a 67 with a 67, tied with a 12-under 41.
