HONOLULU — Chris Gotterup wore a lei round his neck, held a flute of champagne in a single hand and a gold Sony Open trophy within the different Sunday evening throughout a conventional toast by members of Waialae. He liked coming to Hawaii, even when the event wasn’t value celebrating.
He was a part of the 2024 rookie class that got here to Honolulu for orientation, solely to be informed there was no room for them on the sector. He didn’t qualify a 12 months in the past, dropping to No. 195 on the planet.
On Sunday, he used a mixture of energy and placing to shoot a 6-under 64 to win the Sony Open by two strokes, giving him his third win in three years on the PGA Tour and shifting him nearer to golf’s A-list.
“I felt like I used to be in psychological state this week. I used to be actually blissful to be right here,” Gotterup mentioned. “I felt like I used to be in command of my mind, which is crucial factor. I had an amazing drive and made some putts the place it mattered.”
He completed with a rating of 16 underneath par, 264, and moved as much as seventeenth place on the planet.
Ryan Gerrard birdied the ultimate two holes for a 65 and completed alone in second place. He flew to Mauritius late final 12 months and completed runner-up, breaking into the highest 50 and qualifying for his first Masters. He’s presently exterior the highest 30.
Patrick Rodgers had one other likelihood to win his first PGA Tour victory, however went birdieless till the ultimate gap on the again 9. He completed third with a 65.
“Sadly, I did not have putter at the moment,” mentioned Rodgers, who has completed within the prime three 9 instances since 2015.
Vijay Singh, 62, who’s taking part in on tour this season on a profession cash exemption, posted three sub-70 rounds through the week, together with a last 69, and completed tied for fortieth place.
Gotterup had a dream week, controlling the sport at Waialae and cruising the streets of Waikiki at evening to flee golf. On Sunday, he obtained a little bit assist from 54-hole chief Davis Riley, however the contest was over after 4 holes after two birdies by way of 5 holes. He made consecutive three-putt bogeys from lengthy distances, then hit the ball right into a tree on the left of the eighth fairway for double bogey. He went from a 2-stroke result in a 3-stroke lead, however was by no means in a position to catch up and completed in a tie for sixth place with a 71.
However after that, Gottap did not give anybody an opportunity.
“It was an attention-grabbing match for everybody,” Gottap mentioned. “Then I made some nice putts and noticed just a few guys fall again. I do know Ryan performed an amazing match, however he tried to make a run on the finish. Another guys made nice performs and I simply thwarted them.”
Even on the basic dogleg Waialae course, surrounded by royal palm timber, he hit a tee shot greater than 330 yards early on the again 9. However it was his putter that in the end made the distinction.
Gotterup sank a 20-foot putt on the twelfth and a 25-foot putt on the thirteenth, essentially the most tough gap on the course. On the par-3 seventeenth gap, he hit the tee shot completely between the pin and the bunker for the ultimate birdie and nearly gained.
He mentioned the course reminds him of residence, and Gottapp has so much to remind him of residence today. He grew up in New Jersey, spent three years at Rutgers and his senior season at Oklahoma, the place he remained till not too long ago shifting to Florida.
I used the jersey as a reference for this, primarily the form of the opening and the shot I wanted.
“Watching individuals play on the golf course typically jogs my memory of how I performed rising up,” Gottharp mentioned. “So, it is a reduction. I do know the kind of golf that is required…and it is a tremendous line, you additionally should be on the golf green. I’ve completed sufficient this week to seek out the golf green.”
Gotterup gained final 12 months’s Scottish Open, defeating Rory McIlroy, and in addition gained the Myrtle Seaside Basic in his rookie season. He’s the sixth participant to win thrice on the PGA Tour to date in 2024, becoming a member of Scottie Scheffler (13), McIlroy (5), Xander Schauffele (3), Hideki Matsuyama (3) and Ben Griffin (3).
The Sony Open was the newest begin to the PGA Tour season after The Sentry in Kapalua, Maui, was canceled in September after a water struggle turned the course brown.
The ultimate spherical at Waialae was performed in an environment that felt prefer it is perhaps the final tour in Hawaii. With the Sony Open’s title sponsorship set to run out this 12 months, there’s a transfer to start out the tour season later than in earlier years, beginning in 2027, simply earlier than or after the Tremendous Bowl.
“Hopefully I am not the final champion,” Gottapp mentioned.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
