Chris Gotterup has enjoyed a fabulous season on the PGA Tour in 2026.
Gotterup has three PGA Tour wins to his name this season, and five in total now, all before he turns 27.
At the same age, Scottie Scheffler had won six times, including one major championship – The Masters in 2022.
How many golfers in the current game will be remembered in 50 years time?
Who is leaving the greatest legacy?
Gotterup has earned huge praise from his fellow PGA Tour pros over the past 12 months, after his incredible run began at the Genesis Scottish Open last July.
While the 26-year-old has three wins to his name in 2026, Scheffler has won only once.
The 30-year-old world number one has actually played some extremely consistent golf and is currently sitting at the top of the FedEx Cup points list.
He has nine top-5 finishes in 14 starts to go alongside his solitary victory. However, by his incredibly high standards, 2026 has been a disappointing season.
Chris Gotterup proves that Scottie Scheffler’s task has just got harder
Scheffler will be extremely frustrated behind the scenes that he has not been able to win more regularly in 2026.
And while I expect him to go on and win 50 or more PGA Tour titles before he retires, Gotterup has just proven a huge issue that he will face.
Gotterup is part of a new breed of young golfers who are quite simply not afraid of winning.
Sure, it will always be difficult to get over the line in the first place, but once they get their hands on their first victory, the floodgates will open.
Gotterup is not cocky, nor is he brash or arrogant. However, he does have an unwavering belief in his own ability.
The more young players that burst onto the PGA Tour scene with this kind of mentality, the harder it will be for Scheffler to win with such regularity.
This is by no means writing Scheffler off. As I said before, I still truly believe that he will end up as one of the game’s greatest ever golfers.
However, he will have to focus on being even better now.
Scottie Scheffler may gain extra motivation from Chris Gotterup’s form
Who knows, perhaps the emergence of players like Gotterup will actually help Scheffler raise his game.
Rory McIlroy experienced that boost himself when Scheffler burst onto the scene with his first win four years ago.
Scheffler has four runner-up finishes to his name this year.
Is the era of Scottie Scheffler dominance now over?
How concerned are you with his current form?
2026 is proving to be an extremely challenging season for the man from Dallas, Texas.
Now the onus is very much on him regarding how he responds. The great players always find a way to remain one step ahead of the curve.
And that’s exactly what Scottie Scheffler needs to do now with fearless young players like Chris Gotterup coming for his crown.
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