VALLARTA, Mexico — Aldrich Potgieter entered the final round of the Mexico Open leading the pack, but without the comfortable margin he had prior due to a lackluster finish on Saturday. He managed a score of 4-under 67, giving him a slim one-shot edge over Brian Campbell at Vidanta Vallarta.
The 20-year-old golfer from South Africa kicked off the day with a four-shot lead but faced early pressure from Stephan Jaeger, who quickly cut the deficit to just one shot after six holes. Campbell later posed a significant challenge—despite sometimes being considerably shorter off the tee, he compensated with impressive putting, including a lengthy 60-foot birdie on the ninth hole, a par 3.
Potgieter, who was three shots ahead with just two holes remaining in the third round, faced a setback on the 17th when his tee shot veered right and landed among some bushes. He managed to extricate the ball and executed a precise pitch shot to save himself from bogey. However, on the par-5 18th, despite a solid drive, his second shot fell short, leading to a nerve-wracking moment where he had to convert a 5-footer for par.
Campbell finished strong with a birdie, posting a 64 that brought him just one shot shy of Potgieter as both players aimed to secure their first PGA Tour title along with a spot at the Masters. “He’s playing a different course than we are,” Campbell remarked, acknowledging Potgieter’s strong performance. “It’s honestly fun to watch. I’m playing my game, he’s playing his game, and we’ll see where that stacks up.”
Jaeger, who initially fell behind but rallied with two birdies on par 5s, shot a 66 to finish three shots back from Potgieter. By the end of the round, Potgieter stood at an impressive 20-under 193.
“Besides the last two holes, it was really good,” Potgieter commented. He faced a stiff challenge from Campbell, who had a remarkable round. Both competitors, along with Jaeger, displayed strong golf overall, but the wind and tricky pin placements led to fewer made putts. Potgieter expressed a desire to secure his return to Augusta National, where he had competed earlier in the year as the British Amateur champion.
Potgieter earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour, which saw him achieve an early win and even a 59 in Colombia. His extraordinary driving distance has been a crucial advantage at Vidanta Vallarta, a course featuring five par 5 holes and ample tee space. He consistently led in driving distance across all three days, averaging 329.4 yards on Saturday.
Teaming up with Campbell and Jaeger for the final round, Potgieter was undeterred by the disparities in driving distance. Campbell, on the other hand, navigated a bogey-free round, putting him in contention for his first PGA Tour victory. Jaeger, who claimed victory at the Houston Open last year, faced a setback with a bogey on the reachable par-4 seventh hole, which swung momentum in Potgieter’s favor. Despite this, he managed to finish strong and remain in the hunt.
“Obviously, the bogey on 7 hurt. That’s kind of a hole that, with a good drive, it should be an automatic birdie, so it was a two-shot swing there,” Jaeger reflected. Nevertheless, he felt good about his position going into the final day after creating several birdie opportunities.
Alex Smalley also performed well, posting a 64 and standing five shots behind Potgieter, while Aaron Rai and Ben Griffin were one stroke closer. Justin Hastings from the Cayman Islands, a San Diego State senior who earned a trip to the Masters by winning the Latin American Amateur, carded a 65 and secured a tie for ninth place alongside Patrick Rodgers and Nicolai Hojgaard, who clinched eagle twice on the back nine.
“Now that I made the cut, that was a big goal for me this week. It released a lot of pressure, and I felt I played much more freely today,” Hastings acknowledged, reflecting on his improved performance.
The stakes this Sunday go beyond just securing a spot at the Masters; the champion will also gain entry into The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, along with benefits for several upcoming high-stakes events. Jaeger has secured his place in these tournaments through a top-50 finish in the FedEx Cup last year.
