Aldrich Potgieter got off to a solid start in the DP World Tour’s 2025 season-opener, the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club in Brisbane as he carded a four-under-par 67.
Potgieter’s five birdies and a bogey put him in a share of sixth place, two strokes off the lead which was held by Australian Elvis Smylie. Smylie was one clear of four players on five-under 66, while Potgieter shared sixth with six other players, including the big guns of Cam Smith, Jason Day and Marc Leishman.
Big-hitting Potgieter has welcomed a potential showdown with Day after the 20-year-old outdid the Australian on his record-breaking charge to a PGA Tour card. He spent a large chunk of his childhood living in Perth with his family before returning to South Africa, and he knows West Australian Min Woo Lee well.
Potgieter broke records in his Korn Ferry Tour debut season, at 19 eclipsing Jason Day as the youngest winner on the secondary US circuit. He then held his nerve to finish 29th, just 20 points clear of 31st, to sneak inside the qualification bubble and become the second-youngest to earn a PGA Tour card behind the Australian.
“Yeah, it’s all happened so quickly and all over the world, but I’m trying to settle in, and getting that PGA Tour card is a big jump,” Potgieter said. “It’s been a good journey.”
The biggest hitter on this year’s Korn Ferry Tour played in the group ahead of Lee, Day and Smith on Thursday, meaning large galleries were nipping at his heels all morning. Potgieter welcomed the prospect of being the main attraction though, confident he has more in the bag after two ‘disappointing’ pars coming home on the long par-fives. “I was really looking forward to those, but didn’t take advantage,” he said. “We’ll see… we’ve got three more days.”
Behind Potgieter, Ryan van Velzen also had a good start, and he was in a share of 14th after his five birdies and two bogeys took him to a three-under 68.
Justin Harding opened with a one-under-par 70 for a share of 52nd on a crowded leaderboard. Robin Williams went one-over, Louis Albertse was on two-over
