Chris Gotterup what's in the bag 2026
By: Derek Clements | Edited: Tue 20 Jan 2026
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Chris Gotterup began the new PGA Tour season with three birdies on the back nine on the way to a 64 that secured a two-shot victory in the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Gotterup was two behind but took advantage of a collapse by 54-hole leader Davis Riley and then birdied three of the final seven holes at Waialae Country Club.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre carded a best-of-the-day 63 to finish in a share of fourth, behind Americans Patrick Rodgers (13 under), Ryan Gerard (14 under) and Gotterup (16 under).
Gotterup moves to 17th in the world rankings - he was ranked 195th at the end of last year's Sony Open.
"I just felt like this week I was in a good frame of mind, just happy to be here," said Gotterup, who secured his third victory on the PGA Tour.
"I felt like I was in control of my brain, which is the most important thing. I drove it great and made some putts when it mattered."
Gerard birdied his last two holes for a 65 to finish alone in second, while Rodgers had another chance at his first PGA Tour victory, but he went without a birdie on the back nine until the final hole. He closed with a 65 to finish third.
Riley started with a two-shot lead and stayed two ahead with a pair of birdies through the opening five holes. But then it all fell part with three-putt bogeys from long range on the sixth and seventh, and a wild tee shot into the trees that led to double bogey on the eighth. That stretch took from two shots ahead to three shots behind, and Riley never caught up.
Gotterup holed a 20-footer on the 12th, and then poured in a 25-foot putt on the 13th, the toughest hole on the course. He all but clinched it with a tee shot that landed perfectly between the pin and the bunker on the par-three 17th for a final birdie.
MacIntyre, meanwhile, made five birdies in racing to the turn in 30 and picked up further shots at the 15th and 18th to reach 12 under par for the week. England's Harry Hall claimed a share of sixth place after carding a 69 having started the day two shots behind overnight leader Riley.
Who is Chris Gotterup?
Gotterup was born in Easton, Maryland on July 20, 1999.
He played college golf at Rutgers University from 2017 to 2021. In 2019 he won the Metropolitan Amateur and New Jersey State Open and was given the Metropolitan Golf Association Jerry Courville Sr. Player of the Year Award. He transferred to Oklahoma University for 2021-22, where he won the Haskins Award and Jack Nicklaus Award as the top college golfer.
He turned professional in 2022 after the NCAA championship. He played events on both the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour in 2022, including a tied fourth at the John Deere Classic. He finished tied third at the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School to earn his 2023 Korn Ferry Tour card. He had three top-10 finishes on the tour in 2023 and earned his 2024 PGA Tour card by finishing 23rd on the points list.
On May 12, 2024, he won the Myrtle Beach Classic for his first PGA Tour victory.
But his biggest success came at the Scottish Open in July 2025, when he won on his 62nd start on the PGA Tour. The following week he finished third at The Open.
This was his 69th start and his third win. He also has one third, five top fives and eight top 10s and has won $8.2m in prize money and takes an early lead in the FedEx Cup standings.
Chris Gotterup - WITB
Driver: PING G440 LST (9 Degrees)
Mini Driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 Degrees)
5-Wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (18 Degrees)
Irons: Bridgestone Tour B 220 MB (4-9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG5 (46, 52, 56, 60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Tour
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X Mindset
Chris Gotterup - Stats on Tour
Driving Distance - 319.6 Yards
Driving Accuracy - 60.71%
Greens in Regulation - 76.39%
Sand Saves - 100%
Putts Per Round - 28
Scoring Average - 66
Chris Gotterup - Last 10 Results
Sony Open in Hawaii - 1st
Hero World Challenge - T19th
Baycurrent Classic - T40th
Tour Championship - T10th
BMW Championship - T33rd
FedEx St Jude Championship - T54th
3M Open - T10th
The 153rd Open - 3rd
Genesis Scottish Open - 1st
John Deere Classic - T21st
About the author
Derek Clements is a seasoned sports journalist and regular Golfshake contributor, specialising in tour coverage, opinion pieces, and feature writing. With a long career in national newspapers and golf media, he has reported on the game across Europe, the United States and Australia. A passionate golfer, he has played and reviewed numerous renowned courses, with personal favourites including Pebble Beach, Kingsbarns, Aldeburgh, Old Thorns and the K Club. His love of the game informs his thoughtful commentary on both professional golf and the wider golfing community.
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Tags: WITB Tour Pro player profile in the bag
