Chris Gotterup emerged victorious at the WM Phoenix Open after getting the better of Hideki Matsuyama in a playoff.
Gotterup posted a final round 64 at the WM Phoenix Open and after Matsuyama bogeyed the final hole in regulation, the American beat the Japanese star in a sudden-death playoff with a birdie on the 18th hole.
The 26-year-old secured his fourth PGA Tour win in style and it’s clear to see that he is quickly establishing himself as one of the best golfers on the planet.
What action should the PGA Tour take to stop appalling fan behavior after WM Phoenix Open controversy?
Disruptive fan behavior continues to plague PGA Tour events…
Meanwhile, Matsuyama remains stuck on 11 PGA Tour wins. He could easily be waking up as a 12-time winner on Monday morning, though.
In regulation play, the 33-year-old was forced to back away from his putt to win after a fan screamed out when he addressed his putt.
Then, in the playoff, Matsuyama was forced to pull out from hitting his ball on the 18th tee, midway through his swing.
That was down to a security guard dropping a chair on a concrete path, but there were still plenty of other incidents when fans took it too far at TPC Scottsdale.
Chris Gotterup comments on Phoenix Open fans after Hideki Matsuyama controversy
Matsuyama is one of the most classy players on the PGA Tour, so it’s no surprise that he didn’t even mention the incident after the round.
But what did Gotterup think about it all?
After his win, the 26-year-old was asked about what he made of the fan behavior at the Phoenix Open in general.
“You know, it’s a good thing that there’s so many people,“ Gotterup said.
“You hear it but it’s all — you have so much going through your brain, it’s almost like white noise. For it to be — obviously I think on the tee box a chair fell. Of course that happens in the playoff.
“But it’s just a crazy atmosphere, and you just have to embrace it this week, and I felt like I did a good job of that. Let alone trying to win a tournament and then also having people line the fairways, it just makes it that much more difficult.
“But I felt like I was focused on what I was doing. We talked everything through, me and Brady, and yeah, and then for the putt to go in is awesome.“
The WM Phoenix Open is always a rowdy occasion.
However, a line was crossed on Sunday and now the PGA Tour have to take decisive action.
PGA Tour must address fan behavior
Appalling fan behavior across the PGA Tour is plaguing the professional game and it has been for quite some time now.
Does the sale of alcohol need to be prohibited at PGA Tour tournaments? How about lifetime bans for the perpetrators?
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Something needs to change very quickly because a game that is supposed to exude dignity and honor is quickly becoming quite the opposite as far as fan behavior is concerned.
Gotterup got the better of Matsuyama at the Phoenix Open but the question has to be asked…
If Matsuyama wasn’t forced to pull out of his drive on the first playoff hole mid-swing, would the end result have been different?
We will never know, of course, but the fact that question is even being asked proves that the PGA Tour have a big problem which needs to be addressed.
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