Aldrich Potgieter’s consistent play at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania on Thursday and Friday has raised hopes of a South African win at a Major for the first time since 2012.
Potgieter, just 21 years old, is in the mix, one shot back of the leaders going into Saturday’s third round.
With rounds of 67 and 70, Potgieter is three-under-par in a tie for third, one shot back of the leaders, Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy, both of the USA.
It is a stacked leaderboard, with 29 players even-par or better, and in with a chance of winning this year’s second Major.
Two other South Africans have made the halfway cut, namely Casey Jarvis, who’s on a score of two-over-par and tied 44th, after rounds of 70 and 72, but also very much in the mix.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout made it to the weekend on the cut-line of four-over par, and he’s currently in a tie for 68th.
The two South Africans who didn’t make the cut are Garrick Higgo, who was on five-over-par after his two rounds, while Jayden Schaper was 10-over-par.
The last time a South African won a Major was in 2012 when Ernie Els triumphed at the Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes. Before him, the most recent winners were Charl Schwartzel, at the Masters in 2011 and Louis Oosthuizen at the Open in 2010.
Only one South African has won the PGA Championship, namely Gary Player, who did so on two occasions.
Potgieter was born in Pretoria and after attending university in the USA turned pro in 2023. He has one PGA Tour title to his name, the Rocket Classic, which he won last season. He is ranked 75 in the world.
