Aldrich Potgieter powers to a 61 and a 4-shot lead in the Mexico Open

VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Aldrich Potgieter showed his ability to shoot low Friday in the Mexico Open, powering and putting his way to a 10-under 61 that gave the big-hitting South African a four-shot lead going into the weekend at Vidanta Vallarta.

Potgieter chipped in for par after a tee shot into the water on the 10th hole. He failed to birdie two of the shorter par 5s on the back nine. He still had an outside chance at another sub-60 round, having shot 59 on the Korn Ferry Tour a year ago.

Those hopes ended with a tee shot into the bunker on the par-5 18th hole, and an approach that came up short into a bunker. The ball stayed near the lip, making it difficult for him to get the 20-yard bunker shot close. He two-putted from 25 feet for par.

“But it was OK,” he said of the par. “I knew I made a lot of extra birdies throughout the day where that wasn’t going to hurt me.”

Potgieter tied the course record and was at 16-under 126, four shots ahead of Stephan Jaeger (64) and Brian Campbell, who birdied his last hole for a second straight 65.

It was superb display for Potgieter, who won the 2022 British Amateur at age 17 and last year became the youngest player (19) to win on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“I love the golf course. It definitely suits my game, I think, in a lot of aspects,” Potgieter said. “If I can keep putting well, I think it should be pretty good.”

His power and ball-striking stand out. His putter is what led to the 61, with Potgieter holing seven putts from the 10-foot range or longer. That doesn't include the 10th, where his tee shot found the water, he came up just short of the green and chipped in from 20 feet for par.

He reached the 661-yard 12th hole in two by hitting driver off the fairway to just over 20 feet.

“I’ve been practicing, doing a drill on the driving range with teeing it really low and hitting it really good with the driver that way,” Potgieter said. “I was telling my caddie, ‘Let’s just do the same thing.’ It was a perfect number, so yeah, hit the perfect shot.”

Seven of his drives went 325 yards or longer.

Jaeger had another bogey on one of the five par 5s, this time by hitting wedge over the green at No. 12, and still managed a 64 to stay in the mix. He had six birdies on his last 10 holes.

“It’s one of those golf courses I feel like if you hit it nicely and you give yourself a lot of chances, the greens are so good it’s nice to make some putts,” he said.

Aaron Rai of England, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 29, had a 64 and was five shots behind.

Antoine Rozner came to his final hole needing birdie to move the cut line and knock out 12 players. Rozner had to make a 10-foot par to avoid missing the cut himself.

Two Masters-bound amateurs were among the 77 players who made the cut at 3-under 138. Latin America Amateur champion Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands birdied three of his last four holes for a 67 and was at 136. U.S. Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester shot another 69 and was at 138.

Also making the cut was Blades Brown, the 17-year-old who turned pro this year. He shot 69 and was 11 shots out of the lead.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Akshay Bhatia, of the United States, lines up his putt on the 15th green during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Patrick Rodgers, of the United States, chips onto the green of the 15th hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Aaron Rai, of England, watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

"Silence" signs are held up as Kaito Onishi, of Japan, watches his putt on the green of the first hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Harry Hall, of England, watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Stephan Jaeger, of Germany, lines up his putt on the green of the 15th hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Aldrich Potgieter, of South Africa, watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Aldrich Potgieter, of South Africa, reacts to making a birdie on the 13th hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Aldrich Potgieter, of South Africa, tees off on the 16th hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Aldrich Potgieter, of South Africa, watches his tee shot on the 13th hole during the second round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.

Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.

Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.

The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.

USC got no closer the rest of the way.

USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.

Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.

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Michigan center Aday Mara, front, drives against Southern California center Gabe Dynes, back, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)