Competing in his third tournament of the current season, Chris Gotterup is aiming for his second win this year. The aggressive right-handed golfer delivered an impeccable performance on Thursday morning at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open, mastering TPC Scottsdale without a single bogey, culminating in a round of 8-under 63.
This impressive display by Gotterup secured him a two-stroke advantage ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick had also reached 8 under par but lost two shots towards the end of his play. Trailing by an additional stroke at 5 under are promising young talents Michael Thorbjornsen, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Pierceson Coody, alongside Sam Stevens.
“I think, to start the year, I really felt like I worked hard in the offseason to get ready for the season,” Gotterup said. “TGL in the offseason also, just getting used to the adrenaline rush you get inside there and being able to hit shots under pressure has helped me and my game. It’s nice to start the year off on a good note.”
Gotterup was grouped with the top-ranked player globally, Scottie Scheffler, who posted a challenging 73 – his first score above par since June 2025 – and Jordan Spieth, who completed his round with a 70. Gotterup initiated his strong run midway through the back nine, commencing his play on the par-4 10th. He sank an eagle putt from just off the green on the par-5 13th, then immediately followed up with three consecutive birdies from distances of 6 to 10 feet.
Despite not converting a chip and putt on the par-4 17th for what would have been his fifth consecutive score below par, Gotterup swiftly compensated by nailing a 25-foot birdie attempt on the 18th hole, finishing his front nine at 6 under. Transitioning to the tougher front nine, Gotterup demonstrated effective course management. He capitalized on the single par 5 (despite narrowly missing a 7-foot eagle chance) and subsequently secured another long-range birdie on the par-3 7th, marking his last birdie of the round.
“I feel like I’m doing things well and thinking through things well, and I think that’s the most important thing,” Gotterup said. “I wouldn’t say today I drove it my best or did anything — I putted great today, but I just was in the right spot when I needed to be. I drove it unbelievably and did good stuff there. It’s nice to play well and also have other parts complement that. It’s been nice to manage my game properly.”
For much of the morning, Gotterup found himself trailing Fitzpatrick, who began his round with exceptional momentum. Fitzpatrick completed his initial eight holes at 7 under par, reaching the turn with a score of 29, sparking discussions about a potential course record (60). Similar to Gotterup, he birdied the 3rd hole, but unlike the ultimate leader, he couldn’t sustain his pace, recording bogeys on holes 8 and 9.
“It’s disappointing. I guess the way you got to look at it is if I started bogey, bogey, and you finish 6-under, you come off feeling like the greatest player in the world,” Fitzpatrick said. “You got to try and reframe it there. If someone would’ve said, ‘Here is 6-under to start day,’ and I can stay in bed, I would’ve snatched your hand off. I’m in a good position to start with and hopefully kick on.”
Both Gotterup and Fitzpatrick enjoyed favorable weather during Thursday’s play, as the morning provided gentler conditions before the winds intensified and created difficulties for competitors later in the day. Among the significant scores from the later groups were Hideki Matsuyama’s 68, Viktor Hovland’s 69, Xander Schauffele’s 71, and Brooks Koepka’s 75.
Leader
1. Chris Gotterup (-8): Gotterup has now completed nine rounds in 2026, with his scores being: 63, 69, 68, 64, 68, 70, 70, 69, 63. Every one of these nine performances has concluded under par (even on the challenging Torrey Pines South Course), indicating that the PGA Tour member, now in his third year, has emerged with a transformed approach this season.
The 26-year-old demonstrates excellent driving, but his iron game and strategic decision-making on the course have shown significant advancement. He judiciously selects his targets, leveraging his strong capabilities and consistently maintaining composure. This approach effectively mitigates weaknesses while simultaneously amplifying his inherent talents.
“We went through some stats from last year, and obviously, I had a great year last year,” Gotterup said. “There were like two or three things that were kind of glaring in terms of losing shots in spots where if I didn’t look at stats I probably would’ve said I did decent at. We worked on that, and that was really the only things … other than just normal practice. Those were things that I worked on to get ready for this year.”
Contenders
2. Matt Fitzpatrick (-6)
T3. Michael Thorbjornsen, Nicolai Hojgaard, Pierceson Coody, Sam Stevens (-5)
T7. Kevin Roy, Max McGreevy, Daniel Berger, Jake Knapp, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (-4)
Following a rookie year divided between the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour, Coody has commenced his second professional season with strong momentum. The right-handed player has achieved three consecutive finishes within the top 20, including securing a second-place outcome just last week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Due to his strong opening to the season, Coody currently leads the Aon Swing 5 standings, a position that would qualify him for the subsequent two major tournaments – the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational. However, the 26-year-old aspires to greater achievements, as a tournament victory would guarantee him significantly more.
“It’s certainly a different spot than I was in my rookie year,” Coody said. “I think I missed the first six cuts my rookie year. Last year, obviously, wasn’t playing on the West Coast and didn’t play in Florida, either, so I knew I was only going to start in the middle of the year essentially.
“Yeah, to be one up on the way I’ve started the last couple years feels really nice. I know I’ve set myself up to, yeah, keep moving the bar and playing well and play a little different schedule than I had the last few years.”
2026 WM Phoenix Open updated odds, picks
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Chris Gotterup: 3-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 8-1
- Pierceson Coody: 14-1
- Michael Thorbjornsen: 14-1
- Nicolai Hojgaard: 17-1
- Sam Stevens: 17-1
- Hideki Matsuyama: 18-1
- Jake Knapp: 18-1
- Scottie Scheffler: 21-1
The later groups faced conditions that made the course over half a stroke harder, yet Matsuyama successfully completed a flawless round of 3 under. The golfer, who has won this tournament twice, steadily navigated the course, effectively utilizing the par 5 holes and capitalizing on the limited birdie opportunities available. His iron game has been outstanding throughout the initial month of the season, and he has historically demonstrated a knack for performing well on these particular greens.
