Chris Gotterup Edges Hideki Matsuyama in Dramatic Playoff to Win WM Phoenix Open

Chris Gotterup capped a sensational final-round surge with a birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama and claim the 2026 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Sunday. The 26-year-old American shot a scintillating 7-under 64 in the final round, including nine birdies total, to force a playoff with the 54-hole leader.

The drama unfolded over the closing holes as Gotterup caught fire down the stretch. The rising star birdied five of his final six holes, including a clutch 3-footer on the 18th green to reach 16-under par and force the playoff. His run included a remarkable wedge shot from the gallery on 18 that finished inside five feet, setting up the playoff-forcing birdie.

Matsuyama, seeking his third WM Phoenix Open title, struggled with his driver throughout the final round, missing 11 fairways on the day. The Japanese star hit his tee shot on the 72nd hole into the church pew bunkers and clipped the lip coming out. Unable to get up and down from 43 yards, Matsuyama made bogey to fall back to 16-under and join Gotterup in the playoff.

In the playoff, both players returned to the par-4 18th hole, where the championship was decided in dramatic fashion. Matsuyama yanked his tee shot even further left than in regulation, caroming it off the far bank of the lake and into the water. After taking a drop, he hit his third shot safely to the middle of the green but faced a lengthy par putt.

Gotterup seized the moment, launching a booming drive down the fairway and leaving himself a mid-iron approach. He then delivered the knockout blow, burying a 27-foot birdie putt that sparked wild celebrations from the massive Phoenix crowd. The victory marks Gotterup's fourth career PGA Tour win and his second in just three starts this season.

Matsuyama's runner-up finish continues a pattern of near-misses at TPC Scottsdale, where he has now won twice but also endured several heartbreaking defeats. Gotterup earned $1.728 million from the $9.6 million purse and claimed 500 FedEx Cup points, vaulting him up the season standings as the PGA Tour heads to California for its next event.