Aldrich Potgieter threatened a ’59 spherical’ on his technique to opening up a four-shot lead within the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, as England’s Aaron Rai charged into competition.
Potgieter carded a 10-under 61 to leap right into a commanding benefit at Vidanta Vallarta, shifting the 20-year-old to 16 beneath forward of Germany’s Stephan Jaeger and American Brian Campbell.
The South African, who received the Beginner Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2022, carded 5 consecutive birdies in a front-nine 29 after which chipped in for par after his tee shot went into the water on the tenth.
Potgieter added 4 extra birdies in a six-hole stretch on the again 9 to depart him requiring an eagle on the par-five final for the primary sub-60 spherical of the PGA Tour season, having shot 59 on the Korn Ferry Tour final yr, solely to seek out the bunker on his technique 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,” stated Potgieter, who tied the course file. “Yeah, made some bonus birdies and didn’t birdie the par fives, which were unfortunate. Yeah, really happy with today.”
In keeping with the PGA Tour, Potgieter turns into the fourth-youngest participant to shoot 61 or higher in a PGA Tour occasion, with Patrick Cantlay, Nick Dunlap and South Korea’s Tom Kim the one gamers to have overwhelmed him.
Jaeger fired a 64 to maneuver right into a tie for second at 12 beneath with Campbell, who posted a second-round 65, whereas Rai – the highest-ranked participant within the subject – jumped into 4 place and inside 5 of the midway lead after a seven-under 64.
Aaron Rai is chasing a second PGA Tour victory, having received the Wyndham Championship final season
Rai eagled the par-five sixteenth to go alongside 5 birdies in a bogey-free spherical, with Ben Griffin (65), Akshay Bhatia (66) and Isaiah Salinda (67) an additional stroke again in a share of fifth on 10 beneath.
Fellow Englishman Harry Corridor, who held a share of the in a single day lead after a gap 64, is 10 strokes off the tempo after a second-round 72 which combined six birdies with 5 bogeys and a double bogey.
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