Aldrich Potgieter and Kevin Roy made quite the splash at the Rocket Classic, both kicking off the tournament with record-breaking rounds. On Thursday, Potgieter, a rising star from the PGA Tour, nearly walked off the ninth green with a solo lead, but a missed 12-foot birdie putt left him tied with Roy at the top of the leaderboard. They both opened the 2025 tournament at Detroit Golf Club with impressive 10-under 62s, setting a new 18-hole scoring record for the event, according to the PGA Tour.

Both players enjoyed bogey-free rounds, racking up eight birdies and an eagle each. The 20-year-old South African rookie, Potgieter, dazzled on the front nine, shooting a remarkable 7-under 29 to kick off his day. Meanwhile, Roy finished strong, nailing a 30-foot chip-in for eagle at the par-5 17th. “Just one of those days everything was clicking,” Roy shared after the round.

Stellar performances were expected, given the ideal scoring conditions. Rain earlier in the week had softened the course, making the typically generous greens even more inviting. Since joining the PGA Tour schedule in 2019, Detroit Golf Club has consistently been one of the most scoreable venues. “It was pretty easy,” said Andrew Putnam, who shot a solid 64.

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Not too far behind the leaders, Min Woo Lee, Max Greyserman, and Mark Hubbard all finished with 9-under 63s, tying the previous tournament scoring record. Two-time major champion Zach Johnson was part of a group of seven players sitting at 8-under. Lee, who recently faced a challenging stretch that included the U.S. Open and the Memorial, praised the course setup. “Hopefully, the PGA Tour can have more courses like this. It would be a bit more fun and less stressful,” Lee remarked.

For Potgieter and Roy, getting off to a strong start is crucial during this key stretch of the season. Potgieter kicked off the week sitting at No. 73 in the FedEx Cup standings, while Roy was at No. 100. Both players are in a race to secure full status for the upcoming season and possibly qualify for some elevated events. “That’s probably the biggest goal this year,” Potgieter shared with reporters after his round at the event.

With a crowded leaderboard and several top-50 players in the mix, including a frustrated Collin Morikawa and Keegan Bradley, the pair will need to keep up their momentum over the next three rounds to remain in the hunt.