He hasn’t yet turned 21 and Aldrich Potgieter already knows what it’s like to lift a trophy on the PGA Tour, having done so just three weeks ago at the Rocket Classic. The young South African is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling breakthroughs in world golf in 2025. Alongside his wild drive, being the player who hits the ball the furthest on the entire tour, he possesses a maturity beyond his years. Potgieter speaks to Ten Golf from Scotland, where he is preparing for his second appearance at The Open.
He admits he’s not in the best physical shape after an intense tour. The South African had to withdraw from the John Deere Classic after suffering from accumulated exhaustion since his victory. “The previous week was very long, and the heat in Illinois took its toll. I slept more than 30 hours in two days and didn’t feel strong enough to continue. I didn’t want to push it before the Open, so we decided to stop,” he confesses with complete candour.
His roadmap is clear, and preparing well for Royal Portrush is the priority. Despite not making the cut, the Genesis Scottish Open has been a useful test: “After almost two years without playing links golf, I needed to feel the wind again, the firm ground, those odd bounces. You have to adjust even the equipment: we’re looking at the bounces of the irons because it’s harder to get the ball up here,” he explains.
And yet, when it comes to getting the ball up, he does it like no one else. Standing at 1.87 metres, Potgieter combines immense power with an unusual club speed, even by modern standards. He recalls the longest drive of his life: “It was in Denver, at altitude, I managed a drive that measured 345 metres, totalling 400. It’s true that altitude helps… but it was nice to see,” he remembers with a laugh. “This week Ryan Fox has outdriven me a couple of times. He’s had a great time teasing me about it.”
Behind every swing, there’s much more than sheer strength. There’s an athletic foundation built since childhood. “I played rugby and wrestling. That helped me understand my body. When I had a growth spurt, I knew how to move, how to stay stable. I wasn’t the typical kid who grows suddenly and is a bit clumsy; I think playing many sports was key.”
From a young age, Potgieter was “the kid who hit the ball the hardest.” It’s the golfer himself who confirms the feeling that he hits the ball with all his soul: “Most of the time, I probably hit it at 90% energy. I feel that the stronger and more committed I am to making a good swing, the better I hit it. If I’m trying to find a fairway or trying to go softer, most of the time that doesn’t work for me.” Potgieter feels he must go all out, and that’s what he does.
However, he knows that’s not enough to compete with the best, which is why he doesn’t limit himself to long clubs. In fact, he attributes his recent victory on the PGA Tour to a key improvement: “My iron play was decisive. I missed fewer greens, relied less on the short game, and gave myself more chances. If I keep this up, I know I can compete with the best.”
The example of Brian Campbell is a clear demonstration of the importance of irons. The American is the golfer who hits the shortest from the tee on the entire tour and beat Potgieter in the playoff in Mexico, a course specifically designed for big hitters: “Brian is a great player. I played with him a bit on the Korn Ferry last year too. He putts very well, short game and irons, and doesn’t miss a fairway either, so he’s never going to go out and have a bad day. So he’s always going to put four good rounds on the table when he plays, so I think that makes him really good. He doesn’t miss.” Two opposing styles that undoubtedly complement each other.
Regarding his training approach and view of golf, Aldrich doesn’t consider himself a very modern player. Data is important, but feeling is even more so: “Obviously, you have to be looking at the stats to see where you can improve, but fortunately, I have a team around me that can guide me through that so I don’t get caught up in it. I just need to know what my target is, how far it is, and where the wind is coming from. I would definitely say I’m more about sensations than looking at the swing every day and not looking at too many numbers, trying to hit the shot, not trying to make a shot happen.
He also acknowledges a subject he’s working on: “I’ve had to learn how to chip from a rough that in the United States is much thicker. There are many things to learn in your first year, especially coming to America and playing there for the first time through the Korn Ferry, so I think that will improve in the next two or three months, and I’ll see even better results.
His growth in just a year has been meteoric. Eight months ago, he was competing on the Korn Ferry Tour, and “my goal now is to finish the year in the top 50 of the FedEx Cup, which would guarantee me playing all the major events in 2026. I also want to break into the top 30 in the world.”
And in five years? He says without hesitation: “Competing to win Majors. And hopefully, battling with Scottie Scheffler for the Number One spot in the world. That’s the dream for all of us here.”
What’s not clear is where he’ll do it. His connection with Louis Oosthuizen is evident, as he spent two years training at his Academy during his adolescence and is a great reference for him: “After the victory, I’m quite settled. Obviously, we don’t know what’s happening with LIV and PGA, so we’re going to stay where we are and try to focus on what we can do right now, which is focusing on the Open and the tournaments I’m in for next year. I think we’re just taking it one step at a time and we’ll see what happens.
One of the names that has most influenced Aldrich Potgieter’s personal and professional development is Adam Scott. The young South African not only admired him since childhood for his elegance and consistency but has had the fortune to turn that admiration into a close and trusting relationship.
“If I had to choose someone I would like to become, it would be Adam Scott. He’s the perfect player: very professional, one of the most beautiful swings on the tour, and an incredible person,” Aldrich confesses with a smile. Their connection was partly born because Potgieter spent part of his youth in Australia, the home country of the 2013 Masters champion. Additionally, they share a close circle with the caddie who was with Scott in recent years and now works with Louis Oosthuizen.
Since Potgieter won the British Amateur in 2022, Scott has always been available to help him with advice, share experiences, and guide him in his first steps in the elite of golf. “He’s always been there for whatever I needed,” Aldrich acknowledges. At a time when everything is happening very quickly — a victory on the PGA Tour at just 20 years old, media attention, pressure — having such a reference makes a difference.
His relationship with the Open is special. In 2022, he debuted as an amateur at St. Andrews after winning the Amateur Championship. Now he returns as a professional, with a victory on the PGA Tour and high expectations. “I love links golf. It brings out your most creative side. You have to think differently, feel the shots. It’s not just about hitting hard. It’s a different way of competing.”
And if you ask him about his dream major, he can’t choose between two; he can’t decide between dad or mum: “I can’t choose between the Masters and the Open. The first is special for everyone in golf, and the second has a unique magic. I played the Open at St. Andrews, and it was incredible, but Augusta… it’s Augusta.”
Although young, he already knows what it’s like to play at the highest level. And also to live with the pressure. “After winning, everything changes. More media, more commitments, more attention. But it’s part of the job. I have an incredible team that helps me manage all that. They remind me when to say ‘no’ and keep me focused.”
And the Presidents Cup? Is it on his radar? “Of course. If I can make it into the international team, it would be another dream come true. Watching my idols like Ernie Els or Adam Scott playing that competition is what got me hooked as a kid.”
The kid who hits it the hardest on the tour is clear that his engine isn’t just muscle. It’s talent, the mind… and an ambition without limits.
