A South African pro (and now PGA Tour winner), Aldrich Potgieter has quickly become one of the longest hitters in pro golf, not long after becoming the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history. Potgieter won the Rocket Classic back in June in a playoff, not long after losing in a playoff at the Mexico Open. He has three top-10 finishes in his first year on tour. We asked the 21-year-old to tell us his story:
My parents told me a little lie when I was 8 years old. We were moving from South Africa to Australia to be less surrounded by crime and to pursue greater economic opportunity. A few families we knew had made the same move. I loved rugby—my dad had played professionally before his career was cut short by injuries—but to protect me, he told me there was no rugby in Australia and that I had to focus on golf instead.
My parents opened a coffee shop that also had South African groceries. They sold bread, sweets and traditional meats like biltong. My favorite is vetkoek, which is deep-fried bread with meat filling. It’s like a bagel but better.
I joined a golf club through my school. I got addicted to how tomorrow can always be better. At 12, I sensed my potential and started hanging around older teenagers and eventually learned how to beat them. Of course, I also learned that Australians love rugby. I trained with my rugby friends and with the wrestling team, but to avoid injury I didn’t compete in either. I’d decided my dream was to become a pro golfer.
When I was 16, I grew three inches and started outdriving everyone. Chasing big distance had never been my intention. I think the body awareness I developed from other sports made the difference. I started competing internationally. My school, Kingsway Christian College, supported athletes and our travel in many ways. It took the pressure off my parents, so they could focus on the store.
The pandemic was a horrible time in Australia. I hardly played any events. I made a crude hitting bay in our backyard while my parents’ shop struggled. We moved back to South Africa.
MORE: Why Aldrich Potgieter is the poster child for the golf ball rollback
In 2022, I finished tied for third in the African Amateur and got a spot on the national junior squad. When we went to the U.K., it was my first time playing links golf. I missed the first two cuts of our tour. At the British Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the wind was down enough that I could hit driver. I carried bunkers no one else could. I played some of the best golf of my life, and won.
That win opened everything up to me. I was exempt into three majors. I had been looking at college golf but ditched that idea. My parents and I made the decision that I should turn pro after the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
The Open at St. Andrews in 2022 was surreal. I played practice rounds with Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott and Ernie Els. Els challenged me to hit different shots, like running it low up to certain greens and long bunker shots. I’ll never forget when he said, “This kid’s ready.”
Despite having just played in three majors, I didn’t have status anywhere after turning pro. I went to Europe to play Q School and got knocked out. Experiencing that pressure made me feel ready for Korn Ferry Q School. I won the second stage and earned eight starts.
Although I won an event early, my game didn’t work well on Korn Ferry Tour setups. I was averaging 337 yards, more than a dozen yards longer than anyone on Korn Ferry or the PGA Tour, but on these short courses I couldn’t use my weapon. I missed a lot of cuts and slipped into a dark space. My dad reminded me to be patient and that I belonged. Driving, flying, eating at steak houses together—our conversations always came back to golf.
Over time, I got more comfortable being on the road and working with a caddie. I added a few top-10s to my win. By the end of the season, I’d earned my PGA Tour card for the 2025 season. I can use my length on the PGA Tour. My game needs to grow in other areas, but it’s good to belong out here.
My breakout win, of course, was the Rocket Classic in Detroit last June. When that final putt dropped in the playoff, all my emotions came out. Even when you truly believe you can do it, it’s so crazy when it happens. All the media and everything that followed took three hours. By the time my dad and I left the club, nothing was open. Instead of going out to celebrate, we ate at Chipotle.
The goal for my rookie year was keeping my PGA Tour card, and I did that. I already have the Masters and the PGA on my schedule for 2026, so I want to get into the other two. Each time I play a major, I get better. —With Keely Levins
