Aldrich Potgieter has blasted his way to the 36-hole lead in the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld and may well muscle his way to a win, but if you didn’t get the long odds pre-tournament, the value now turns to the PGA TOUR winning chasers.

The 20-year-old South African Potgieter was hopefully on your radar via Will Gray’s Expert Picks, or our Sleeper Picks, in the lead-up to the tournament when he was at a very juicy +7000. But now, after a 10-under 61 on Friday, he sits at 16-under and the +175 betting favorite via FanDuel Sportsbook.

The youngster leads by four shots and has been incredible. Coming into the week he led the TOUR in Driving Distance and was second on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee behind only Rory McIlroy, but he's forced his way to this score in Mexico without annihilating the easy par 5s at VidantaWorld. At the same time, he is 4-under on those holes in eight attempts, which ranks T39 in Par 5 Scoring Average through two rounds.

Already a winner of The Amateur Championship (2022) and also on the Korn Ferry Tour (2024), Potgieter is no flash in the pan. This is an up-and-coming serious talent. He already has a sizeable lead and if he is able to continue his current efforts, and also get after the longest holes at VidantaWorld, look out!

The most intriguing part though when it comes to those looking to stay on the pace is a handful of the closest chasers are proven PGA TOUR winners. If Potgieter’s nerves start to fray, these men have been there and done that.

Stephan Jaeger, the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open winner, sits tied second at 12-under while Aaron Rai, the champion at the Wyndham Championship last year, is fourth at 11-under. Two-time TOUR winner Akshay Bhatia is part of a tie for fifth at 10-under.

So it is this factor that should bring just a little trepidation as you clutch those Potgieter +7000 outright tickets.

The current odds from FanDuel Sportsbook are as follows:

• +175: Aldrich Potgieter (-16, first)
• +450: Stephan Jaeger (-12, T2)
• +900: Aaron Rai (-11, fourth)
• +900: Akshay Bhatia (-10, T5)
• +1200: Brian Campbell (-12, T2)
• +1400: Ben Griffin (-10, T5)
• +3300: Isaiah Salinda (-10, T5)

Draws

Aldrich Potgieter* +175

As an advocate for Potgieter at the start of the week, I am not about to suggest he can’t hold on from here. He was first in the field in SG: Off-the-Tee on Thursday and first in SG: Approach on Friday! Plus he leads the field in SG: Putting!

“I love the golf course, it definitely suits my game I think in a lot of aspects," Potgieter said of the upcoming 36 holes. "If I can keep putting well, I think it should be pretty good."

“I’m just trying to put a good result up this week and keep the momentum going forward to the other weeks.”

*BUT, if you don’t hold a ticket on the youngster, now is probably not the time to jump in at short odds. Instead, wait another round, and see where things fall, OR perhaps pick one of the chasers who can creep on up.

Stephan Jaeger +450

Jaeger is currently ranked eighth in SG: Tee-to-Green this week and ninth in SG: Off-the-Tee. Importantly, he is also rolling his rock, ranking fifth in SG: Putting. When there are birdies to be made in bunches, the German is one of the players you can rely on. Knows how to go super low and has been inside the top 18 in all three previous visits to VidantaWorld, including a T3 last year.

Aaron Rai +900

Going against everything that says the bombers win here sits Rai, who gives up firepower to the others but gains a bunch in accuracy. Ranks first in the field in SG: Tee-to-Green and in SG: Approach. The concern would be not just the lack of distance compared to others, but he’s ranked 53rd in SG: Putting and 79th in SG: Around-the-Green. Has two previous top-25s here.

Akshay Bhatia +900

In his only previous visit, Bhatia was fourth in 2023, and this time started the week as the pre-tournament betting favorite. Came in off a T9 at The Genesis Invitational and has continued nice form despite being middle of the pack in SG: Off-the-Tee this week. At seventh in SG: Approach and 11th in SG: Putting, he’s still a threat.

Fade

Brian Campbell +1200

While I have heard and seen enough from Potgieter in his short years coming through the Australian and South African junior systems when it comes to the journeyman Campbell, I have to admit my knowledge is not as wide-ranging. A Korn Ferry Tour graduate thanks in the main part to three runner-up results last season, he’s found his way near the top this week via ranking second in SG: Tee-to-Green and ninth in SG: Around-the-Green. Sitting 55th in SG: Off-the-Tee worries me as do the aforementioned runner-ups. He’s not a proven winner yet.

For resources to overcome a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER today.