If you’re still checking your pulse after the 2026 WM Phoenix Open, you’re probably not alone. In a tournament known as "The People's Open"—or, more a
If you’re still checking your pulse after the 2026 WM Phoenix Open, you’re probably not alone. In a tournament known as “The People’s Open”—or, more accurately, “The One Week a Year Golfers Pretend to be Rockstar Roadies” — Chris Gotterup proved that he isn’t just a rising star; he’s the guy currently holding the keys to the PGA Tour.
On February 8, 2026, Gotterup outlasted two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama in a sudden-death playoff at TPC Scottsdale to claim his fourth career title and his second win in just three starts this season.
The 2026 edition took the “loudest hole in golf” and literally added another level to it. The iconic 16th hole debuted the Pin Hi Club, a first-of-its-its-kind four-story temporary hospitality structure. While the structure was 100% sustainable and reusable, the energy was anything but recycled.
The atmosphere was electric, bordering on frantic. Matsuyama, a fan favorite in Scottsdale, actually had to back off two shots on the final hole of regulation due to “audible noises” from a crowd that had clearly started their Super Bowl Sunday festivities a few hours early.
Gotterup started the day trailing Matsuyama by one, but he caught fire on the back nine, carding birdies on six of his final seven holes to post a 7-under 64. Matsuyama, usually the iceman in these situations, struggled with his accuracy, missing 11 fairways on the day and ultimately limping into a playoff after a bogey on the 18th.
In the playoff, the difference was sheer power. Gotterup launched a massive drive down the center of the 18th fairway. Matsuyama, perhaps rattled by the relentless Scottsdale “encouragement,” yanked his drive into the water. Gotterup didn’t wait for a second invitation, burying a 27-foot “birdie bomb” to seal the win.
Key Tournament Statistics
Player R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To Par
Chris Gotterup 63 71 70 64 268 -16
Hideki Matsuyama 68 64 68 68 268 -16
Scottie Scheffler 73 65 67 64 269 -15
Akshay Bhatia 68 67 67 67 269 -15
Si Woo Kim 73 62 66 68 269 -15
Note: Gotterup won on the first playoff hole with a birdie.
With this victory, Gotterup has now won half of the first four events of the 2026 season, having also secured the Sony Open in Hawaii in January. He has vaulted to No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking, making him the second-highest-ranked American behind only Scottie Scheffler.
As the Tour heads toward the spring, the question isn’t whether Gotterup is “for real”—it’s how many more trophies he can fit in his carry-on before the Masters.
Radu Roman
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