Chris Gotterup signals big strides in game with Sony Open victory

In 2024, Chris Gotterup launched his rookie season in Honolulu, but not by participating in the Sony Open. Instead, he found himself on the alternate list alongside other Korn Ferry Tour graduates and was required to attend the PGA Tour’s rookie orientation at the Royal Hawaiian Resort on Waikiki Beach. With no opportunity to prepare for the Monday qualifier, Gotterup opted to withdraw and return home.

 

Fast forward two years, and everything has changed.

 

On Monday, Gotterup will reach the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time, climbing to No. 17 after clinching his third consecutive victory at the Sony Open on Sunday. At 26, he is undeniably emerging as a star in the sport, evolving from a power hitter who was named NCAA Player of the Year at Oklahoma to a more consistent tour professional.

 

Two years ago, Gotterup struggled, missing over half of his cuts (13 out of 25), but managed to keep his playing card thanks to winning a tournament in Myrtle Beach. Last season, he began his year at The Sentry, only managing to beat 12 players before missing the cut at the Sony Open, leading to a streak of seven weekends out of nine events without play. However, he rebounded with a win at the Genesis Scottish Open, followed by a third-place finish at The Open and a T-10 at the 3M, which allowed him to qualify for the BMW Championship and secure entry into all the key events this year.

 

Despite being invited to Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge, ending the year in the top 30 of the world rankings, and being a reserve for TGL, Gotterup remained grounded, feeling he had not fully arrived yet and still experienced too many ups and downs.

 

“I take productive criticism from my team seriously,” Gotterup said. “We reviewed a lot of stats at the end of the year, and a few key areas stood out.”

 

1. He lost a significant number of strokes from 100 to 150 yards.

2. He wasn’t converting enough putts from 9 to 20 feet.

 

“Those were my primary focus areas for practice,” Gotterup noted, referring to his offseason training in Florida after relocating there from Oklahoma late last year (he is originally from New Jersey).

 

“This week,” he mentioned, “I felt like I effectively applied my practice to my numbers and putts…and that boosted my confidence.”

 

Although his approach wasn’t particularly sharp this week, Gotterup recorded only three bogeys with a wedge over the course of the tournament, and none on Sunday. Last year, he had two bogeys at the Sony in the 36 holes he played. On the greens this weekend, he made six birdies from his focus range, plus two longer putts on the back nine Sunday.

 

With further enhancements to his already strong game off the tee—where he gained over four strokes and topped the Sony field—Gotterup is poised for more frequent success.

 

“As you play more, you become more comfortable and less inclined to press or grind constantly,” Gotterup explained. “You get used to the environment, and knowing it’s a long season brings a sense of freedom compared to feeling pressured to perform well immediately.

 

“Now, it’s more about just seeing what unfolds.”