Chris Gotterup won the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Sunday, marking the fourth win of his career. He birdied five of his last six holes in regulation to force a playoff with 54-hole leader Hideki Matsuyama. Another birdie on 18 vanquished Matsuyama and gave the youngster his second win of the season. Scottie Scheffler is the best player in the world right now, but Gotterup is off to a better start to his career.
“71st career PGA Tour start. Scottie Scheffler: Won 2022 WM Phoenix Open for his 1st victory. Chris Gotterup: Won 2026 WM Phoenix Open for his 4th victory,” Underdog Golf reported on X.
Scheffler got off to a slow start to his career, coming on strong in the 2020-21 season. He finished in the top ten eight times that season, earning the final spot on the Ryder Cup roster. His incredible performance against Jon Rahm on Sunday at Whistling Straits set him on the path of destruction he has been on ever since.
Gotterup was able to convert some of the top ten finishes into wins early in his career. He has nine finishes in the top ten, which include his four wins. The early returns have Gotterup ahead, but what Scheffler did after his first win is nearly impossible for anyone to keep up with.
Gotterup is headed to The Masters for the first time in his career in April. One of Scheffler's four 2022 wins was The Masters, but no rookie has won at Augusta National since 1979. It is too soon to compare Gotterup to Scheffler, or any other young golfer to the number one player in the world. But the New Jersey native's ability to convert opportunities into wins could bode well down the line.
The PGA Tour heads to Pebble Beach next week, where Scottie Scheffler will look for the 21st win of his career.
