If you turned off the TV at the Detroit Golf Club thinking it was just another weekend of "birdie-fest" golf, you missed one of the most absurd finishes in recent memory. Seriously. The pga rocket classic leaderboard looked like a parking lot on the 72nd hole, but what followed was a grueling, heart-pounding five-hole playoff that felt more like a survival contest than a golf tournament.
Most people look at the final scores and see a bunch of red numbers. But the real story isn't just the 22-under par; it's how a 20-year-old kid from South Africa named Aldrich Potgieter stared down seasoned pros like Chris Kirk and didn't blink. Honestly, watching a rookie navigate the nerves of a maiden victory while the Detroit sun beat down on those soft greens was something special.
The Logjam at the Top: Breaking Down the Numbers
By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, the leaderboard was a mess of names. You had guys like Michael Thorbjornsen and Jake Knapp trading blows, while the big names like Collin Morikawa and Hideki Matsuyama were lurking just a couple of shots back.
Basically, the course was playing incredibly soft. Rain earlier in the week turned the Detroit Golf Club into a target practice range. We saw course records falling left and right—Min Woo Lee shot a 63, then Kevin Roy and Potgieter both carded 62s. It was wild.
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When the dust finally settled on 18, we had a three-way tie at -22 between:
- Aldrich Potgieter (62-70-65-69)
- Max Greyserman (63-70-66-67)
- Chris Kirk (65-65-69-67)
Final Results and Payouts
The money at stake was no joke. The total purse sat at $9.6 million, with the winner's share being a cool $1.728 million.
- Winner: Aldrich Potgieter (-22) - $1,728,000
- T2: Max Greyserman (-22) - $854,400
- T2: Chris Kirk (-22) - $854,400
- T4: Jake Knapp (-21) - $432,000
- T4: Michael Thorbjornsen (-21) - $432,000
The Playoff That Wouldn't End
If you've ever played a pressure-packed round of golf, you know how heavy the putter feels on the last hole. Now imagine doing that for five extra holes.
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The first playoff hole saw all three men par. Nothing fancy. But the second hole—the par-3 15th—is where the drama really ramped up. Chris Kirk, a veteran who usually has ice in his veins, missed a short par putt. Just like that, the "old guard" was out, leaving two young guns to fight it out.
Potgieter and Greyserman then went back and forth. They parred the third, birdied the fourth (the par-5 14th), and headed back to the 15th for the fifth time of asking. Greyserman had a look at birdie but couldn't convert. Then came Potgieter. He stood over a 17-foot birdie putt, gave it the "early walk" as it tracked toward the hole, and dead-centered it.
It's sorta crazy to think about—at 20 years old, he became the youngest South African to ever win on the PGA Tour. He called it a "grind" afterward, and you could see the relief on his face.
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What This Leaderboard Tells Us About the Tour's Future
The pga rocket classic leaderboard this year was a massive wake-up call for anyone who thinks the "stars" are the only ones who matter. Look at the names in the top 10. You've got Nico Echavarria and Jackson Suber (both finishing at -20). You've got Kevin Roy and Thriston Lawrence holding their own against Matt Fitzpatrick.
There's a changing of the guard happening. The depth on the PGA Tour right now is deep—scary deep. When a kid like Potgieter can come out and fire a 62 in the first round and then back it up under the most intense pressure imaginable on Sunday, it shows that the gap between the household names and the "rookies" has basically disappeared.
Surprising Details from Detroit
- Course Records: Multiple players tied or broke the record during the week.
- The 15th Hole: This par-3 became the graveyard for many players' hopes during the playoff.
- The Renovation: This was the last time the players will see the Detroit Golf Club in this specific layout; it's headed for a $16-million renovation that includes brand new greens.
What You Should Keep an Eye On Next
If you followed this tournament, you've probably realized that "course form" is a real thing. Players who can handle low-scoring environments tend to thrive here. For next year, keep an eye on how the renovation changes the scoring. New greens usually mean firmer, faster surfaces, which might actually end the -25 winning scores we've grown used to seeing.
For now, the big takeaway is simple: don't sleep on the youngsters. Potgieter's win wasn't a fluke; it was a clinical display of power and putting.
Actionable Insights for Golf Fans:
- Watch the Rookies: Follow guys like Potgieter and Thorbjornsen in the upcoming fall events; their confidence is sky-high.
- Check the Greens: Pay attention to course news regarding the Detroit Golf Club renovation before the 2026 event.
- Playoff Strategy: Notice how Potgieter prioritized speed on his 17-footer; in long playoffs, "matching the speed to the line" (his words) is more important than trying to force a perfect line.
The 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic will be remembered for the heat, the birdies, and a 20-year-old who proved he belongs with the best in the world.