Chris Gotterup Shoots 64 to Defeat Hideki Matsuyama in Phoenix Open Playoff

Chris Gotterup secured his fourth PGA Tour title after Hideki Matsuyama hit his tee shot into the water on the first hole of a Phoenix Open playoff.

Chris Gotterup carded a 7-under 64 on Sunday to finish at 16-under 268 and win the Phoenix Open on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. After matching Hideki Matsuyama’s four-day total, Gotterup secured the title with a birdie at the 18th hole while Matsuyama pulled his drive into the lake. This victory marks the second win in three starts this season for Gotterup, who previously claimed the Sony Open earlier this year. It is the fourth career PGA Tour title for the 24-year-old professional, who relied on a late surge of five birdies over his final six holes to force the extra session.

Hideki Matsuyama entered the final round at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course with a one-shot lead, having successfully converted all five of his previous 54-hole leads into victories. However, the Japanese star struggled with accuracy, missing 11 fairways during his closing round of 68. On the reachable par-4 17th, Matsuyama narrowly avoided the water on the left, and on the 72nd hole, he drove his ball into the church pew bunkers. From 43 yards out, he hit his second shot into the bunker face and failed to save par, which would have won the tournament in regulation.

Statistical Breakdown of the Final Round

The Phoenix Open playoff was set up by Gotterup’s blistering back nine, where he maintained momentum by hitting balls off the first tee before the playoff began. During the decisive extra hole on 18, Gotterup uncorked a massive drive down the fairway. In contrast, Matsuyama yanked his tee shot further left than his regulation attempt, seeing the ball carom off the bank and into the water. After taking a drop, Matsuyama reached the green on his third shot, but Gotterup ended the contest by sinking his birdie putt.

Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1, finished in a five-way tie for third place at 15-under par. Scheffler’s tournament began with a 2-over 73, which put him in danger of missing the cut. He responded with a 65 in the second round to extend his active PGA Tour cuts streak to 66 consecutive events. Entering Sunday five shots off the lead, Scheffler mounted a charge with a 7-under 64, highlighted by a 72-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the 14th hole. He pulled within one stroke of the lead after two-putting for birdie from 63 feet on the 17th but missed a 24-foot birdie attempt on the 18th to finish one shot out of the playoff.

TPC Scottsdale Course Performance

Matsuyama’s history at the Stadium Course includes back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017, but his Sunday performance was marred by a lack of precision off the tee. Despite leading four players by a single stroke at the start of the day, he was unable to hold off the charging field. Scheffler’s comeback was a primary storyline, as he trimmed a seven-shot deficit after 36 holes down to five after 54 holes. During his final round, the top-ranked player recorded three birdies on the front nine and a stretch of three consecutive birdies on the back nine.

Gotterup’s victory reinforces his status as a top performer this season, adding to his early-season success in Hawaii. His final-round 64 matched the low round of the day among the leaders, a feat also achieved by Scheffler. The five-way tie for third at 15-under illustrates the density of the leaderboard, where several players remained in contention until the final holes. Matsuyama’s 16-under 268 total was built on consistent play until the final stretch, where the water hazard on 18 ultimately dictated the outcome of the Phoenix Open playoff.