DETROIT Ƶ As a grueling playoff unfolded in the Rocket Classic, South AfricaƵs Aldrich Potgieter was determined to have enough pace on what became the final putt Sunday.
Potgieter drained an 18-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole to secure his first PGA Tour victory by winning the Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
ƵStruggled to make putts. Left a lot short,Ƶ Potgieter said. ƵFinally got one to the hole.Ƶ
Potgieter outlasted Max Greyserman in an extended playoff that began with three golfers. Chris KirkƵs bogey on the second playoff hole cost him a chance and reduced the playoff to two golfers.
Potgieter, a big-hitting 20-year-old, began the tournament with a 62 on Thursday and ended up with the biggest prize. He is the youngest South African to win on tour.
ƵBig thanks to my family, friends, coaches, everyone who has been involved to kind of get me to this point,Ƶ Potgieter said.
The trio of Potgieter, Greyserman and Kirk finished 72 holes at 22-under-par 266.
ƵThis one is going to sting a little bit,Ƶ Greyserman said.
Potgieter, who became the seventh-youngest PGA Tour winner since 1983, and Greyserman both had birdies on the par-5 14th hole Ƶ the fourth stop in the playoff Ƶ before Potgieter sank the winning putt on the par-3 15th hole.
Kirk and Greyserman shot final-round 5-under-par 67s and Potgieter, who was the first- and third-round leader, had 69.
Kirk had the best chance on the first playoff hole, but he was off the mark on a birdie putt of slightly more than 9 feet.
ƵItƵs a shame that first playoff hole,Ƶ Kirk said. ƵHit just three perfect shots and I misread that putt a little bit. ThatƵs the way it goes sometimes.Ƶ
Greyserman missed from 11 feet on the second extra hole before Kirk was eliminated with a three-putt bogey moments later.
ƵJust really disappointed right now,Ƶ Kirk said. ƵFelt like I played great today. IƵm happy with the way I played.Ƶ
Greyserman, ranked 48th in the world entering this week, remains without a PGA Tour victory. He has four runner-up finishes.
ƵUnfortunately, I didnƵt get the job done,Ƶ Greyserman said. ƵThought I hit a lot of good shots down the stretch. Very pleased with how I handled myself down the stretch.Ƶ
It was a bogey-free round for Greyserman, who missed a birdie putt from just inside 12 feet on the final hole that would have given him the victory. He made birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to rise into a share of the lead.
Except for a birdie on No. 17, Kirk posted par on seven of his last eight holes in regulation.
It was a crowded leaderboard for the entire day.
Michael Thorbjornsen (67) and Jake Knapp (68) shared fourth place at 21 under. Jackson Suber (68) and ColombiaƵs Nico Echavarria (66) tied for sixth at 20 under.
By late afternoon, there were 26 golfers within three shots of the lead. After Potgieter and Greyserman made the turn as the final pairing, there were several fewer so close to the top, but still more than a dozen Ƶ with more than half of those golfers still on the course.
Echavarria played the final seven holes in 4 under to match his first-round 66.
Harry Higgs and Akshay Bhatia had 65s for the best scores of the last round, finishing at 16 under and 15 under, respectively.
Somi Lee, Jin Hee Im win
Dow Championship team eventƵ
MIDLAND, Mich. Ƶ The Korean duo of Somi Lee and Jin Hee Im prevailed in a playoff over Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang to capture the Dow Championship title on Sunday at Midland Country Club.
The teams replayed the par-3 18th to begin the playoff. Thompson got her team closer than Lee off the tee, but Im rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt and Khang missed her teamƵs 5-footer to the left.
Lee and Im birdied the 17th hole and parred the 18th to tie Khang and Thompson at 20-under-par 260 and force the playoff. Khang and Thompson fired a 10-under 60 earlier in the day, and Lee and Im posted a 62.
The final round deployed a four-ball (best ball) format before the playoff was played in alternate shot (foursomes).
It marked the first LPGA win for both Lee and Im, and Im said she might not have been able to notch her first victory without her playing partner.
ƵI think weƵre best team ever,Ƶ Im said. ƵHopefully, we coming back next year.Ƶ
ƵWe are last year rookie season, but (the LPGA is) so tough LPGA,Ƶ Lee added. ƵBut we are together win and IƵm now happy so much.Ƶ
Thompson, who retired from full-time LPGA competition after last season, was on the precipice of her first victory since 2019. She fell to 0-6 in LPGA Tour playoffs.
ƵMegan played some amazing golf this week. I pulled together some good golf today,Ƶ Thompson said. ƵItƵs just great to be alongside her. We have a lot of laughs and in between shots we are relaxed and have a good time.Ƶ
Khang shared that she and Thompson decided Saturday night that they would Ƶgo out there and have some fun, and whatever happens, happens.Ƶ The duo started the day three shots off the lead.
ƵI think on the first tee, we pretty much said as long as we give ourselves two chances each hole we will see where it takes us,Ƶ Khang said. ƵThankfully made some few putts here and there. Bummer to miss the last one in the playoff to force another hole, but very happy how we played.Ƶ
Tied for third at 18 under were the teams of Lindy Duncan and ChinaƵs Miranda Wang (59) and BelgiumƵs Manon De Roey and FranceƵs Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (64).
Sarah Schmelzel and SwitzerlandƵs Albane Valenzuela, who began the day in the lead, managed only a 66 and dropped into fifth at 17 under.
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