Chris Gotterup is now a top-five player in the world after winning the WM Phoenix Open in a dramatic playoff with Hideki Matsuyama at TPC Scottsdale.
It was yet another outstanding performance from Chris Gotterup at the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season. Of course, the American had already won the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.
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With six holes of his final round to play in Phoenix, Gotterup appeared to have next to no chance of victory. However, a stunning run of five birdies in six holes proved to be enough to earn him a spot in a playoff with Hideki Matsuyama.
Gotterup’s rise to becoming one of the best golfers on the planet has been rapid. He went into the Scottish Open last year 88th in the FedEx Cup standings. He had already missed nine cuts in the season.
Chris Gotterup compared with Brooks Koepka after his WM Phoenix Open win
But he is emerging as one of the game’s best competitors. And with that, Smylie Kaufman has told The Smylie Show how Gotterup has begun to remind him of Brooks Koepka.
“I think it’s worth pointing out that the first time he played with Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler was, so Rory was that Sunday at the Scottish Open, he goes and shoots 66 and wins by two. And then the first time he goes and plays with Scottie Scheffler, he goes out and shoots a bogey free 63, beats him by 10,” he said.
“I think that side of it for me, the confidence and the mental aspect and just his overall confidence that he plays with, I think is the most growth that I’ve seen for a player that we all want to see take that next step. He’s answered the bell right away. Sometimes it takes guys 10 attempts to be finally comfortable playing against the world’s best. But he doesn’t care. He’s like, ‘dude, this is what I’ve got. I’m going to go out and do my best. I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself’. And I think that’s the jump that we’ve seen early in his career to now.
“Sure, he’s probably gotten better in different aspects of his game, but that to me is the huge thing that Chris has right now that so many players are trying to get which is playing with freedom, confidence, and growing in the mental side of the game. It just reminds me so much of a Brooks Koepka type.”
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There are a number of similarities between Gotterup and Koepka, including the brand of clothing they wear on the golf course.
But Gotterup also boasts awesome power off the tee. And like Koepka, he is incredibly difficult to beat if his putter manages to catch fire.
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Gotterup felt like a member of the supporting cast when he reached the 13th hole on Sunday at TPC Scottsdale. He was some way back of the leaders and running out of time to make a charge.
However, the 26-year-old was able to find that extra gear. It is not a gear that every single player on the PGA Tour appears to have.
And following his win on Sunday, Gotterup has cemented his spot as one to watch at all four majors in 2026 – much like a certain Brooks Koepka.
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