Potgieter clings on to 1-shot lead

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — South African rookie Aldrich Potgieter struggled late on the way to a four-under-par 67 on Saturday that left him with a one-shot lead over Brian Campbell heading into the final round of the US PGA Tour’s Mexico Open.

Potgieter, the 20-year-old Pretoria-born prodigy who is playing in just his 10th PGA Tour event, started the day with a four-stroke lead after a sensational 61 on Friday at VedantaWorld near Puerta Vallarta.

He had a three-stroke cushion through 14 holes, but his 20-under total of 193 put him just one in front of American Brian Campbell, whose seven-under-par 64 equalled the best round of the day and put him at 19-under 194 — two strokes clear of Germany’s Stephan Jaeger.

“Besides the last two holes, it was really good,” said Potgieter, winner of The Amateur Championship in 2022 at Royal Lytham.

“Brian was having a great round so I tried to just stay a little bit ahead of him. It got a little tough throughout the day with the wind a little bit, some pin placements were a little bit more tough so I didn’t make as many putts today.”

“But we’ll save it for tomorrow,” added the big-hitting South African, who leads the tour in driving distance.

Potgieter started off well enough in gusty afternoon winds, rolling in a 10-foot birdie at the third and following a bogey at the fourth with a 14-foot birdie at the fifth.

He drove the green on the way to a two-putt birdie at the par-four seventh and made the turn with a three-shot lead over Jaeger and Campbell.