
Aldrich Potgieter withdraws from John Deere Classic after the third round
Potgieter won his maiden Tour victory a six days ago in Detroit at the Rocket Classic. He was 9 under through the first two days at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, this week and within striking distance of the lead after 36 holes.
On Saturday, he posted a 5-over 75 which dropped him into a tie for 58th. There was not a reason given in the announcement the Tour made on social media about the WD.
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Recent PGA Tour Winner Mysteriously Withdraws from John Deere Classic
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025 John Deere Classic has already seen its share of unexpected exits, with 3 players, namely Andrew Putnam, Nicholas Lindheim, and Stephan Jaeger, pulling out mid-tournament. But on Saturday, the field lost a 4th name, and this one sent a ripple through the golf world. Aldrich Potgieter, the 20-year-old South African who just clinched his maiden PGA Tour win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week, withdrew after Round 3. SILVIS, ILLINOIS - JULY 05: Aldrich Potgieter of South Africa signs autographs following the third round of the John Deere Classic 2025 at TPC Deere Run on July 05, 2025 in Silvis, Illinois. (Photo by... SILVIS, ILLINOIS - JULY 05: Aldrich Potgieter of South Africa signs autographs following the third round of the John Deere Classic 2025 at TPC Deere Run on July 05, 2025 in Silvis, Illinois. (Photo by) More Getty Images Potgieter earned $1.728 million and 500 FedEx Cup points for his playoff victory in Detroit and entered the John Deere Classic riding high. He opened with rounds of 67 and 66, sitting at 9-under and well inside the cut line. But Saturday saw a different story. Potgieter carded a 5-over 76, tumbling from T13 to T58. And despite still being eligible for a solid paycheck and FedEx Cup points, he withdrew shortly after signing autographs, with no official reason provided. 🚨❌⛳️ #WD — Aldrich Potgieter has withdrawn from The John Deere Classic following a 3rd round, 75. The Rocket Classic winner entered Saturday in the mix and completed his round, then signed autographs. It's not yet known why he has withdrawn from the tournament, per @golfweek. — NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 5, 2025 After that, fans quickly posted their speculations on social media. Some pointed to the emotional and physical toll of back-to-back starts, especially after a career-defining win. Others noted his visible frustration during Saturday's round, which included 3 bogeys, a double, and just 3 birdies. "PGA does not get its players ready to play on the weekend. Too few events, no cut exhibitions. They just can't handle the grind," one fan posted on X. Another added, "Sure would be a shame if he took off cuz that 75" Potgieter had hinted earlier in the week that he was still adjusting to the whirlwind. "I mean, I can't stop smiling when people talk about [the Rocket win]," he said after Round 1. "I've never played a tournament after I won such a big event, so I really didn't know how today was going to go." The withdrawal comes just as Potgieter was gaining momentum. In 15 PGA Tour starts this season, he's logged three top-10s, including a runner-up at the Mexico Open and a T6 at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He currently sits at No. 49 in the OWGR and is eyeing a potential spot at The Open Championship via the reserve list. Next, the 20-year-old PGA Tour winner is expected to tee it up next at the Genesis Scottish Open, but this sudden WD has certainly opened the gates for more questions than answers. More Golf: Carlos Alcaraz uses golf to hit back at Andy Murray from Wimbledon

NBC Sports
11 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Aldrich Potgieter withdraws after third round John Deere Classic
Aldrich Potgieter began Saturday's third round of the John Deere Classic just three shots off the lead. He won't even play Sunday. Potgieter, who notched his maiden PGA Tour victory last Sunday at the Rocket Classic, carded a 5-over 76 to plummet to 4 under, which tied him for 58th at the time. About two hours later, however, the 20-year-old South African withdrew from the tournament. A reason was not provided by Potgieter or PGA Tour officials. He is listed in next week's field for the Genesis Scottish Open, which will mark his third straight start but only his fourth since late May as Potgieter took four weeks off – he said the break was to recharge and fit some new equipment – following the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. Also, Potgieter is not currently qualified for The Open, though at No. 49 in the Official World Golf Ranking, he could get in via the reserve list, which is based off of Monday's world-ranking update.