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South African 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter is in the mix at the Australian PGA Championship after a historic season earned him a US PGA Tour card.

Big-hitting South African Aldrich Potgieter has welcomed a potential showdown with Jason Day after the 20-year-old outdid the Australian on his record-breaking charge to a PGA Tour card.

Potgieter carded a four-under 67 to be among the pace-setters on day one of the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland in Brisbane on Thursday.

He spent a large chunk of his childhood living in Perth with his family before returning to South Africa, and he knows West Australian Min Woo Lee well. 

Potgieter broke records in his Korn Ferry Tour debut season, at 19 eclipsing Jason Day as the youngest winner on the secondary US circuit.

He then held his nerve to finish 29th, just 20 points clear of 31st, to sneak inside the qualification bubble and become the second-youngest to earn a US PGA Tour card behind the Australian.

"Yeah, it's all happened so quickly and all over the world, but I'm trying to settle in, and getting that PGA Tour card is a big jump," Potgieter  said.

"It's been a good journey."

The biggest hitter on this year's Korn Ferry Tour played in the group ahead of Lee, Day and Cameron Smith on Thursday, meaning large galleries were nipping at his heels all morning.

Potgieter welcomed the prospect of being the main attraction though, confident he has more in the bag after two "disappointing" pars coming home on the long par fives.

"I was really looking forward to those, but didn't take advantage," he said.

"We'll see ... we've got three more days." 

Playing partner David Micheluzzi, fresh off his debut season in Europe on the DP World Tour, is sure there is a low score out there.

"I felt like it should have been four or five better," the Australian said of his 67 after missing a string of short putts. 

"But I think I holed probably four putts over 40 or 30 feet, so you've got to take it as it comes."