After entering the 2026 WM Phoenix Open as the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler’s 2-over-par scorecard on Thursday slotted him in a position to miss his first cut since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, barring a turnaround effort on Friday.
Despite entering the week as the best golfer in the world rankings-wise, Scheffler did not even finish as the best in his trio. His groupmate, Chris Gotterup, headlined the leaders as he walked off the course at 8-under-par through his first 18 holes.
“I feel like I’m doing things well and thinking through things well,” Gotterup said. “I wouldn’t say today I drove my best. I putted great today, but I was just in the right spot when I needed to be. It’s nice to play well and have other parts play together.”
Gotterup has started his fifth year on the PGA Tour as one of the hottest golfers out of the gate, winning the first event of the new year at the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii. After ending 2025 28th in the official world rankings, he has finished every one of his first nine rounds of golf under par.
“I feel like I worked hard in the offseason to get ready for the season,” Gotterup said. “Playing in the Tomorrow’s Golf League in the offseason and getting used to the adrenaline rush you get when you’re in there helped. Being able to hit shots under pressure has helped, and it’s nice to have a good start to the year.”
After starting the morning with three straight pars, Gotterup eagled the 13th hole, which began a streak of birdie-or-better for four straight holes, capped off with a birdie at 16. As he strutted off the green at the iconic 16th hole, Gotterup won the fans over as he tossed his ball into the crowd, met by a sea of cheers and applause.
He wasn’t the only one to birdie the hole either, as Matt Fitzpatrick, who sits right behind Gotterup at 6-under-par, also gave the crowd something to cheer for.
He was almost atop the leaderboard until bogeying his final two holes.
Yeah, it’s disappointing,” he said. “I guess the way you got to look at it is if I started bogey, bogey and you finish 6-under you come off feeling like the greatest player in the world. You got to try and reframe it I guess there.”
“It’s impossible not to notice it,” Gotterup said. “Even if you hit it, you have to embrace it. There’s no way to escape it, and it’s a cool atmosphere we get once a year. To make a birdie on that hole and get the crowd going was a lot of fun.”
Gotterup’s hot start to 2026 has placed him in groups with several iconic players on tour. This week was no different, as he teed up alongside Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, who has four top-10 finishes in five appearances at the Phoenix Open. Spieth appeared to start the weekend strong, but a double bogey on his final hole slotted him at a 1-under-par finish.
Despite the two stars he’s paired with, Gotterup has shone the brightest through the first 18 holes. While the adaptation to being surrounded by cameras has been smooth so far, Gotterup has no intention to slow down.
“It’s totally different,” Gotterup said. “It’s hard to get adjusted, but I feel like I’ve played well and worked my way up the ladder. I think the thing about the tour is that it never stops. Someone’s always going to be coming, and you have to keep your foot on the pedal.”
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