Mexico Open: Aldrich Potgieter opens up four-shot clubhouse lead with England's Aaron Rai five shots back
South African 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter put in a superb Mexico Open second round display to shoot to top of leaderboard at PGA Tour event; England's Aaron Rai sits five shots back; watch third round of Mexico Open on Saturday live on Sky Sports Golf from 2pm
Saturday 22 February 2025 08:06, UK
Aldrich Potgieter threatened a '59 round' on his way to opening up a four-shot lead in the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, as England's Aaron Rai charged into contention.
Potgieter carded a 10-under 61 to jump into a commanding advantage at Vidanta Vallarta, moving the 20-year-old to 16 under ahead of Germany's Stephan Jaeger and American Brian Campbell.
The South African, who won the Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2022, carded five consecutive birdies in a front-nine 29 and then chipped in for par after his tee shot went into the water at the tenth.
- Golf leaderboards: PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA and more
- Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺
- Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: Book to watch on TV or online
Potgieter added four more birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine to leave him requiring an eagle at the par-five last for the first sub-60 round of the PGA Tour season, having shot 59 on the Korn Ferry Tour last year, only to find the bunker on his way to a closing par.
"I knew on the back nine there was three par fives that I still had available to me, just tried to birdie those three and come up with a good score," said Potgieter, who tied the course record. "Yeah, made some bonus birdies and didn't birdie the par fives, which were unfortunate. Yeah, really happy with today."
According to the PGA Tour, Potgieter becomes the fourth-youngest player to shoot 61 or better in a PGA Tour event, with Patrick Cantlay, Nick Dunlap and South Korea's Tom Kim the only players to have beaten him.
Jaeger fired a 64 to move into a tie for second at 12 under with Campbell, who posted a second-round 65, while Rai - the highest-ranked player in the field - jumped into four place and within five of the halfway lead after a seven-under 64.
Rai eagled the par-five 16th to go alongside five birdies in a bogey-free round, with Ben Griffin (65), Akshay Bhatia (66) and Isaiah Salinda (67) a further stroke back in a share of fifth on 10 under.
Fellow Englishman Harry Hall, who held a share of the overnight lead after an opening 64, is 10 strokes off the pace after a second-round 72 which mixed six birdies with five bogeys and a double bogey.
Watch the third round of the Mexico Open on Saturday live on Sky Sports Golf from 2pm, and from Sky Sports Main Event at 8.30pm. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
