5 golfers who overperformed their odds at Rocket Classic 2025 ft. Aldrich Potgieter

The 2025 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club saw several names dominate the leaderboard. A total of 129 out of 156 players finished under par in the opening round, making it one of the lowest-scoring starts in tournament history. While pre-tournament favorites like Collin Morikawa (+400), Patrick Cantlay, and Rickie Fowler failed to make an impact early, it was the long shots who stole the spotlight.

Five players with odds ranging from +4000 to +12500 posted rounds of 63 or better in the first round. Their performances flipped the odds at the Rocket Classic.

Here’s a look at the five golfers who outperformed expectations at the Rocket Classic.

#1. Aldrich Potgieter

Aldrich Potgieter arrived at the Rocket Classic as an underdog with +9000 odds. The 20-year-old South African had missed the cut at this event in 2023, but this time, he started his opening round on the back nine, shooting a 10-under 62.

Potgieter's round included five birdies and an eagle on the back nine alone. He credited his new irons for improving his spin control, especially on approach shots. He went on to win after a five-hole playoff against Chris Kirk. The victory earned him $1.728 million and made him the youngest South African ever to win a PGA Tour title.

#2. Kevin Roy

Kevin Roy entered the Rocket Classic week with +12500 odds and was one of the biggest outsiders in the field. He fired a 10-under 62 in the opening round. The standout moment was his chip-in eagle from 30 feet out of the rough on the par-5 17th hole, followed by a birdie on 18 to close the round.

Roy had been shining on the Korn Ferry Tour, with five top-10 finishes, including a T6 at the Puerto Rico Open. This became his best performance on the PGA Tour so far.

#3. Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee entered the Rocket Classic tournament with odds from +4000 to +4500. The 26-year-old Australian shot a 9-under 63 in the first round. He opened with a bogey at the first hole but quickly recovered with a birdie, followed by nine more birdies across the rest of his round.

For a while, Lee was tied for the lead, holding the course record until Potgieter and Roy later shot 62s. Lee entered Detroit with confidence, having won his first PGA Tour title earlier in March 2025.

#4. Mark Hubbard

Mark Hubbard made his presence felt at the 2025 Rocket Classic with a bogey-free 9-under 63 in the first round. After his leading first day, Hubbard maintained momentum through round two, finishing at 12‑under par. That placed him in a tie for fifth going into the third round. He was not one of the favorites coming into the tournament, but delivered one of his best career rounds.

Earlier this season, Hubbard secured a tie for 28th at the RBC Canadian Open and two top‑10s in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and the Myrtle Beach events.

#5. Max Greyserman

Coming into the week at the Rocket Classic with long odds, Greyserman outperformed expectations. He had a strong run at the 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic. He finished at 22-under-par with a total score of 266, tying with Aldrich Potgieter and Chris Kirk after four rounds.

Greyserman's final round was bogey-free, shooting 5-under 67 with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes. He had a chance to win on the 18th but missed a birdie putt from 12 feet. This took him into a playoff with Potgieter and Kirk. Kirk dropped out on the second playoff hole. Greyserman then fought with Potgieter until the fifth playoff hole, where Potgieter made an 18-foot birdie to win.

Greyserman shot 66 in the third round to jump into second place before the final day. This was one of his best performances this season, adding to his top finishes at the Zurich Classic and Travelers Championship.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam