Aldrich Potgieter, 20, wins Rocket Classic in five-hole playoff
Potgieter outlasted Max Greyserman in an extended playoff that began with three golfers. Chris Kirk's 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.
The trio of Potgieter, Greyserman and Kirk finished 72 holes at 22-under 266.
Potgieter and Greyserman both had birdies on the par-5 14th hole the fourth stop in the playoff before Potgieter sank the winning putt.
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 was off the mark on a birdie putt of slightly more than 9 feet. Greyserman missed from 11 feet on the second extra hole before Kirk was eliminated with a three-putt bogey moments later.
Greyserman, ranked 48th in the world entering this week, remains without a PGA Tour victory. He has four runner-up finishes.
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 and Jake Knapp shared fourth place at 21 under. Jackson Suber and Colombia's Nico Echavarria 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 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.
Field Level Media
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