Aldrich Potgieter made some key changes to his bag before his Rocket Classic win
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With an 18-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole, 20-year-old PGA Tour rookie Aldrich Potgieter became a PGA Tour champion and thus brought one of the coolest bags in pro golf into the spotlight.
Potgieter thrilled Detroit fans this week at the Rocket Classic with booming tee shots, nearly touching 200 mph, on a Detroit Golf Club course that was nearly perfect for his game.
But there were a couple of key changes the young South African made to his bag before his first win.
The first was switching to the Titleist Pro V1x+ golf ball. The Pro V1x+ is one of Titleist’s Custom Performance Option (CPO) golf ball offerings on tour, like the more commonly known Pro V1x Left Dash and Pro V1 Left Dot.
The Pro V1x+ first showed up on Tour about two years ago, and there isn’t too much Titleist has divulged about the ball they still call a prototype, but the company does say it offers more spin than the retail version of the Pro V1x, which is the spinniest ball in the Pro V1 lineup.
Extra spin was what Potgieter was looking for, and it directly ties in with the other major changes he made this week.
Before an off-week visit to the Titleist Performance Center at Woburn in the UK, Potgieter was playing with five wedges (including two pitching wedges!), Titleist 620 MB blade irons in his mid and short irons, the new fourth-generation T100 for his 4- and 5-iron and a new T250 2-iron.
But he was looking for a little more height and spin with the golf ball change, so he moved into the T100s for his mid- and short-irons and swapped his T100 long irons for T150s. In his words, this setup was much easier to hit.
How did this work? It likely starts with the golf ball. The MBs are going to spin more than the T100s for him. But with the spinnier ball, he’s able to utilize the extra forgiveness of the T100 profile without sacrificing the peak height, spin and control he had with the MBs. The same goes for the T150 long irons. When pros can get the same ball flight they get out of blades with more forgiving clubs, there’s no reason for them to play the blades anymore.
You would never think someone with prodigious speed like Potgieter would want a ball that spins more, but many pros actually seek more spin because of their optimal delivery dynamics.
The added control also allowed him to take out one of his pitching wedges, which opened up the spot for a 3-wood this week. Titleist Tour rep Liam MacDougall also added some weight to his GT2 driver head, which gave him a bit more stability and better clubface control.
But it all goes back to the golf ball and goes to show how much someone can gain from playing the right golf ball. Kudos to the Titleist Tour team for helping Potgieter to his first victory.
Keep reading below for all of Potgieter’s specs.
Aldrich Potgieter birdies fifth playoff hole to win Rocket Classic
In the final round of the 2025 Rocket Classic, Aldrich Potgieter sinks a 17-foot putt for birdie on No. 15, the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff to claim his first win on the PGA Tour.
Aldrich Potgieter’s winning clubs at the 2025 Rocket Classic
Driver: Titleist GT2 9.0˚ Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8-X
Titleist GT2 Custom Driver
GT2 — Speed & Forgiveness Across The Face
For players who don’t always find the center of the face and need the stability of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.
Speed & Forgiveness Across The Face
Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, GT2 extracts maximum performance through forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.
Seamless Thermoform Crown
A reimagined ultra-lightweight design, born from a new Proprietary Matrix Polymer. The tunable acoustic properties of this unique composite allow Titleist engineers to realize new material gains while maintaining our signature sound and feel. All wrapped in a clean look that inspires total confidence.
Split Mass Construction
GT2 delivers a powerful balance of forgiveness and speed thanks to a breakthrough in internal weighting. Mass is shifted to the back of the clubhead to increase MOI for better stability, while also pushing weight low and forward to optimize speed and spin. The result is a driver that frees you to swing with confidence.
The Fujikura Ventus Black utilizes a Tour-inspired profile and the first to include Fujikura’s VeloCore Technology in an accelerated taper, ultra stiff tip profile. Maximum energy transfer from the tip section boosts the clubhead’s performance and a straight taper design enhances loading and feel. You can purchase the Fujikura Ventus Black in the following models: 6, 7, and 8. You can buy the Fujikura Ventus Black with the adaptor sleeve of choice built to your requires specifications.
JOCKEY TIP: The Fujikura Ventus Black is ideal for the player looking for a low launch, low spin shaft that was designed to significantly tighten shot dispersion and maximize ball speed especially on off-center shots.
3-wood: Ping G440 Max 15.0˚ Shaft: Fujkura Ventus TR Black 8-X
PING G440 Max Custom Fairway Wood
The G440 fairway family (MAX, LST, SFT) advances PING’s reputation as a Tour-preferred model of choice through a re-designed face structure and low CG system. The face is taller for more confidence off the tee while maintaining a CG location that delivers high- launching performance off the ground. The MAX model (which fits most golfers) is available in five lofts (including a new 4-wood) to provide more gapping solutions.
HIGH MOI
Easy to launch, stable design increases forgiveness.
FLEXING FACE
Maraging steel face flexes for more ball speed, optimizes spin.
TALLER FACE PROFILE
Improves performance off the tee, maintains low CG.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.
The K Grind has a long-standing place in the Vokey lineup, originally crafted by Master Craftsman Bob Vokey with input from top players. Known as the ultimate bunker club, its wide flange and subtle camber create a forgiving, smooth surface, ideal for sand shots.
The K* Grind represents an evolution of the original K, designed in response to feedback from today’s players who seek versatility on firmer courses. It’s based on the Low Bounce K, with modifications like heel-to-toe relief for open-face shots and pre-wear to reduce digging on square-face shots.
This new design allows the club to sit closer to the ground when opened, improving greenside performance while retaining the reliable bunker play of the original K Grind. The K* Grind is available in 58° and 60° lofts (RH only) with a Raw finish.
STUDIO CARBON STEEL (SCS) FACE INSERT
Designed to deliver the unmistakably soft sound and feel of carbon steel, the new precision milled Studio Carbon Steel (SCS) insert is treated with an electroless nickel plating for enhanced durability in a re-engineered concept that includes the line’s new chain-link face milling technology and aerospace-inspired vibration damping for tuned sound, feel and performance.
CHAIN-LINK FACE MILLING TECHNOLOGY
New chain-link face milling technology reduces the putter face insert’s touch points at impact with the ball using a texture that softens the sound and provides tour-preferred roll characteristics while preserving feel and feedback off the putter face.
FULL CONTACT SLIM GRIP
With a comfortable chain-link texture to match the new putter face milling pattern, the custom crafted Full Contact Slim paddle-style grip was designed to complement the stroke and performance of blade and mid-mallet putters. Its uniquely contoured profile and flat top provide superior comfort and contact between the hands and the putter, and enhanced body alignment.
Full cord. Full firmness. ZGrip is designed for golfers in search of more answers. Our distinct, deep “Z” shaped texture and full cotton cord combine to deliver our firmest grip yet. Get maximum feedback on every shot and confidence in all conditions.
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
