Aldrich Potgieter Down 35 Pounds and Adjusting to Weight Change at Genesis Invitational

Aldrich Potgieter has shed 35 pounds during the offseason and said the mass change has required technical adjustments as he heads into the weekend at the Genesis Invitational. The development matters now because two rounds of 68 put him in contention yet revealed the immediate on-course consequences of a significant physical transformation.

Development details — Aldrich Potgieter's weight loss and Riviera showing

Potgieter carded two rounds of 68 at Riviera Country Club, which left him six shots behind co-leaders Marco Penge and Jacob Bridgeman with 36 holes to play at the Genesis Invitational. He began his PGA Tour career in 2025 after earning his card through the Korn Ferry Tour and already owns a win at the Rocket Classic in his rookie season. Over the offseason he lost 35 pounds, a change he said influenced his setup and posture at address and briefly disrupted his early-season rhythm.

Context and escalation

During the early weeks of the season, Potgieter missed three consecutive cuts before posting a T60 at the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He described spending roughly two months at home in the offseason, a period he used to tackle a gradual weight gain that had accumulated while traveling on tour. The time back home allowed him to establish a new routine and work on technical elements that are harder to address while competing week to week. He connected the weight loss directly to changes in how he sets up to the ball, saying the adjustments initially set him back until his team corrected posture and alignment.

What makes this notable is that a measurable physical change — a 35-pound reduction — had a clear, traceable effect on swing mechanics and competitive outcomes, producing a short-term dip followed by quick improvement once addressed.

Immediate impact

The immediate consequence of the weight loss was a period of inconsistent scoring: three missed cuts were followed by a T60 and then a stronger showing at Riviera. After figuring out setup issues tied to the lighter frame, Potgieter produced consecutive 68s to enter the final two rounds within striking distance. His comments drew a line from the offseason work that included two months at home to on-course performance, framing the missed cuts as part of an adjustment process rather than a longer-term decline.

Named tournament benchmarks underline the scale of the shift. A Rocket Classic victory in his rookie season confirms prior success carrying more mass, while the Genesis Invitational performance demonstrates an ability to find form again after technical tweaks. The six-shot gap with 36 holes to play is a concrete measure of where he stands competitively this week.

Forward outlook

Potgieter faces 36 holes to try to close a six-shot deficit and will carry the lessons from his offseason into the remainder of the season. Upcoming milestones include completing the Genesis Invitational and building on the new routines he established while home for two months. His early-season sequence — three missed cuts, a T60 and then consecutive 68s — offers a clear timeline of problem, adjustment and partial recovery that will shape coaching decisions and practice priorities moving forward.

Coaches and team staff will likely focus on consolidating the posture and setup changes that have proven effective this week, the concrete next step evidenced by his improved scoring at Riviera. How Potgieter translates that consistency into results over the coming weeks will determine whether the weight loss becomes a lasting performance asset rather than a temporary obstacle.