Drive for present and putt for dough is without doubt one of the extra fashionable adages throughout the golf lexicon, and fortuitously for Aldrich Potgieter, he can do each.
The 20-year-old South African fired a 10-under 61 on the Mexican Open on Friday, counting on a harmful mixture. He is without doubt one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour and at the moment ranks first in driving distance among the many Mexico Open subject, averaging 324.5 yards off the tee. He one way or the other drove the 661-yard twelfth gap in two, which included him hitting his driver off the deck, making this monstrous par-5 appear like a stroll within the park.
Then, as soon as he reached the placing floor, he took benefit of his alternatives. He has gained almost seven strokes on the greens through 36 holes and ranks above everybody else in that class. He made a complete of 113 toes price of putts throughout Friday’s second spherical, a spherical wherein he tied the course file.
“The flat stick was working,” Potgieter mentioned after.
His brief sport has been working nicely general. Along with his placing prowess, he was 3-for-3 in scrambling on Friday, with no higher save coming on the par-4 tenth gap.
The South African smothered his drive into the water that runs down the golf green’s proper facet. He then needed to drop for his third shot, which left him with 201 yards remaining to the flag. Potgieter then laced an iron in direction of the inexperienced, settling about 20 toes away, simply off the pin and into the tough. He then chipped in, protecting his bogey-free spherical intact.
This spectacular par got here after he shot a 29 on the entrance 9, which included 5 consecutive birdies over the ultimate 5 holes.
“I like to take a look at the scoreboard. It retains me on prime of it, I believe,” Potgieter mentioned.
“After that 5 birdies in a row stretch, and the tenth gap is a very troublesome gap into the wind as nicely, actually tight with the water on the suitable, I form of knew I simply needed to reset and begin over after 9. Ended up hitting within the water nonetheless, however I used to be nonetheless within the zone sufficient to maintain the par save going and hold the momentum going ahead. Simply making an attempt to provide myself a 10-, 15-foot putt on each gap and try to make a birdie.”
Potgieter made 4 extra birdies on the again 9, totaling 10 on the day, and now holds a four-shot benefit over Stephan Jaeger. If that lead stays intact till the top of the second spherical, Potgieter can have the biggest 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour this season. His 127 rating by 36 holes can also be the bottom out of any participant on the halfway level to date.
“I like the golf course; it undoubtedly fits my sport, I believe, in lots of features,” Potgieter added.
“If I can hold placing nicely, I believe it must be fairly good.”
No person will cease him if he continues to putt like this. Between that and his otherworldly size, Potgieter seems to be unstoppable at Vidanta.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Observe him on X @jack_milko.
