WATCH: 20-yo prodigy Aldrich Potgieter chips an eagle from penalty area at John Deere Classic 2025

The 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter is aiming for his second PGA Tour title at the 2025 John Deere Classic. During his opening round, he chipped in the ball from the penalty area and made a phenomenal eagle.

Potgieter’s first shot on TPC Deere Run’s par-4 14th hole took the ball to the penalty area. His second shot took it out of the penalty area and straight into the hole, causing loud cheers of celebration to erupt from spectators.

Potgieter himself appeared shocked by the shot as he placed his hands on his head in surprise and waved at the crowd before going to pick up the ball.

Watch the video of the incredible shot here:

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Interestingly, Potgieter’s eagle on the 14th hole was not his first eagle of the day. He opened his game on the back nine with a beautiful eagle on the par-5 10th hole. At the end of his round, he shot two birdies, two eagles, and two bogeys to card a 4-under 67.

The Pretoria-born golfer is currently tied for 24th position with 18 other golfers on the provisional leaderboard. He is five strokes behind Doug Ghim, who took an early lead.

Potgieter is set to tee off for his second round at the John Deere Classic at 8:40 a.m. local time from the 10th hole. He is paired with Ben Griffin and Michael Thorbjornsen.

Aldrich Potgieter says he “can’t stop smiling” when people talk about his Rocket Mortgage Classic victory

Aldrich Potgieter wins the 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic - Image Source: Imagn

On Sunday, Aldrich Potgieter secured his maiden PGA Tour victory at the 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic. During a post-round interview at TPC Deere Run, he was asked to share what it’s been like after winning at Detroit Golf Club and he said (via ASAP Sports):

“I mean, I can't stop smiling when people talk about it, so that's a good thing. The big thing is coming off the win. I've never played a tournament after I won such a big event, so I really didn't know how today was going to go. Quite happy with how I did and how I handled it.”

The South African golfer carded a 22-under 266 after 72 holes at the Rocket Classic, and so did Max Greyserman and Chris Kirk. He headed into a three-for-one playoff and won with a birdie on the second hole.

Aldrich Potgieter’s maiden PGA Tour title would’ve arrived much earlier had he not narrowly missed the 2025 Mexico Open title at Vidantaworld. Potgieter and Brian Campbell carded 20-under after 72 holes and headed into a playoff. However, Campbell defeated the one-time PGA Tour winner by shooting a birdie on the second hole.

Potgieter has made 14 PGA Tour starts this season and has had three top-10 finishes. He missed the cut in nine events, made the cut in five, and has finished in the top-25 in four games.

About the author

Sarah Rishama Madaki is a dedicated Golf Writer at Sportskeeda with a passion for bringing fresh perspectives to the world of sports journalism. With five years of professional experience as a content writer and strategist, she has worked with global brands across diverse industries, including stints at Soot Africa, TWU, Ink Different Hub, and Attrock.

A devoted fan of golf, Sarah stays updated on the sport through platforms like ESPN, SS Golf, and esteemed publications such as Golf Digest and Golf.com. She combines her knowledge of the game with an ability to understand audience preferences, crafting stories that resonate deeply with readers.

Sarah credits Tiger Woods as her inspiration for entering the world of golf. His resilience, innovative contributions to the game, and achievements motivate her to push boundaries in her career.

Beyond golf, Sarah is an avid NFL enthusiast cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, a fiction novel lover, and a budding gardener. She aspires to one day cover historic events like The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, bringing fans closer to the heart of the action.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma