Chris Gotterup is on the verge of becoming one of the best players on the PGA Tour after he earned his third career victory at the Sony Open on Sunday.
However, Gotterup may have to improve one part of his game if he is to have any chance of winning the very biggest tournaments.
Gotterup won the Sony Open in style last week, showcasing the numerous strings to his bow.
However, the 26-year-old American is said to have one glaring weakness as well.
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Gotterup began his 2026 in fine style with a win at the Sony Open…
The good news is that Gotterup is still very young, and hungry to learn.
Encouragingly, the Sony Open champion possesses real talent in most departments of the game.
There is just one crease he needs to iron out of his golf swing, it seems.
Chris Gotterup told one part of his game is ‘not up to PGA Tour standards’
Golf journalist Ryan Lavner has been speaking about Gotterup’s impressive victory at the Sony Open on Sunday.
However, when speaking on The Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav, he highlighted one particular part of the game that the three-time PGA Tour winner desperately needs to improve.
Lavner explained: “When you look at the physical skillset that he does possess, I mean, he’s the modern player epitomized, right?
“Like, he was absolutely blasting tee shots.
“Think about this, on the back down alone, 357, 359, 342, and 337.
“He wasn’t just sending them everywhere. They were dead, solid, perfect, right down the centre stripe, allowing him to attack.
“And look, I still think Chris Gotterup is a pretty unpolished player. You look at least statistically last season on the PGA Tour.
“He was still outside the top 100 in every iron category. Long irons, mid irons, short irons, wedges.
“I mean, his proximity to the hole was just not up to PGA Tour standards. He has a lot of shaft lean with his scoring clubs that makes judging his distance difficult.
“You look at what happened over the back nine, yes, he was repeatedly pounding the middle of the fairway, but he was also hitting it to, what, 20, 25, 30 feet on occasion with his wedges.
“He still, I think, has a lot of room for improvement.“
Lavner is right. Gotterup does have a lot of room for improvement, but that’s what makes him such an exciting player.
He’s already a proven winner, and at just 26, the sky really could be the limit for the American.
Ryan Lavner pinpoints Chris Gotterup’s biggest strength
Gotterup may struggle with distance control when hitting his irons, but he has one key strength that will be priceless to him moving forward.
Lavner explained: “Even though he has that distance, even though he does have that touch on and around the greens, I think even more impressive than the physical tools that Chris Gotterup has is his mental toughness, the mental fortitude that he has shown.
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“He knows how to win.
“This is a former college player of the year, a former Haskins Award winner in college after transferring from Rutgers to Oklahoma.
“He has now won in each of the three seasons on the PGA Tour.
“Remember last year at the Scottish Open, literally staring down Roy McIlroy in the same group ahead of what was going to be a home game for Rory McIlroy.
“Then at Royal Portrush, one of the most impressive performances we saw through the duration of a 2025 PGA Tour season.
“And now, I think, even without his sharpest game, with his approach play into what are pretty tiny targets at Waialae Country Club, Chris Gotterup comes out on top in his season opener, and now I think it springboards him to what could be a breakout season in 2026.“
The future looks very bright indeed for Chris Gotterup and it should surprise no one if he starts challenging regularly in the major championships.
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