19-year-old South African golfer Aldrich Potgieter shot a sensational round of 59 on the second day of the Korn Ferry Tour hosted Astara Golf Championship. He became the youngest player to score sub-60 in the PGA Tour-sanctioned event. Its been a week of records for the sport of golf. Interestingly, just a day before, Cristobal Del Solar shot a blistering record round of 57 at the Country Club de Bogota – Lagos Course.
Potgieter’s scorecard included 10 birdies, one eagle, and a bogey. He shot three consecutive birdies twice from the 15th to the 17th and seventh to the ninth hole. He is currently leading the table with a score of 16 under par after the two rounds. He is followed by record-breaker Cristobal Del Solar who is just one stroke behind him.
Hear from the youngest 59 in PGA TOUR-sanctioned history ️@AldrichPotgiet3 | @CountryBogota pic.twitter.com/kTiwyMzzd4
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) February 9, 2024
Well, this is not the first time Aldrich Potgieter has created a record. Earlier in January 2024, he won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic to become the youngest player to win a Korn Ferry Tour event. Jason Day previously held the record since 2007.
Who Is Aldrich Potgieter? Exploring The Early Life And Career of The Record-Breaking Young Golfer
Aldrich Potgieter was born on September 13, 2004, in Mossel Bay, South Africa. His golfing journey started way back during his childhood. He attended the famous Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy. His first notable victory came in 2020 at the South Australian Junior Masters where he won by a huge nine strokes margin.
Later in 2021, Aldrich Potgieter won the Western Australian Amateur, but, later finished second at the Australian Boys’ Amateur in the same year. In 2022, his career peaked in South Africa as he won the Nomads South African Juniors International and the Nomads SA Boys U19 Championship. He became the youngest-ever Amateur Championship winner at the age of 17 in 2022.
After finishing solo 64th at the US Open 2023, the South African decided to pursue his career as a professional golfer. He immediately joined the Korn Ferry Tour and became one of the most exciting players to watch out for. In January 2024, he won his first professional title at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.
With the kind of talent Potgieter possesses, it would not be long before fans would see him play on the PGA Tour. He must surely be taking inspiration from fellow South African compatriots such as Ernie Els and Gary Player to become like them.
