HONOLULU — Chris Gotterup had leis draped round his neck, a flute of champagne in a single hand and the gold Sony Open trophy within the different for the normal toast from the Waialae members Sunday night. He has cherished coming to Hawaii, even when the event was by no means value celebrating.
He was a part of the rookie class that got here to Honolulu in 2024 for orientation, solely to be informed there was no room for them within the area. He missed the lower a yr in the past, falling to No. 195 on this planet.
On Sunday, he pulled away with a mix of energy and placing for a 6-under 64 to win the Sony Open by two pictures, giving him three victories in three years on the PGA Tour and transferring him nearer to golf’s A-list.
“I simply felt like this week I used to be in way of thinking, simply completely satisfied to be right here,” Gotterup mentioned. “I felt like I used to be accountable for my mind, which is a very powerful factor. I drove it nice and made some putts when it mattered.”
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He completed at 16-under 264 and moved to No. 17 on this planet.
Ryan Gerard birdied his final two holes for a 65 to complete alone in second. He flew to Mauritius on the finish of final yr and was runner-up to maneuver into the highest 50 and safe a spot in his first Masters. Now he is simply exterior the highest 30.
Patrick Rodgers had one other probability at his first PGA Tour victory, however he went with no birdie on the again 9 till the ultimate gap. He closed with a 65 to complete third.
“Sadly, did not have a scorching putter immediately,” mentioned Rodgers, who now has 9 top-3s since 2015.
Vijay Singh, the 62-year-old enjoying on tour this season by the use of a profession cash exemption, posted three sub-70 rounds on the week, together with a closing 69, to complete tied for fortieth.
Gotterup had a dream week, accountable for his sport at Waialae, cruising the streets of Waikiki at evening to get away from golf. On Sunday, he bought somewhat assist from 54-hole chief Davis Riley, who had a pair of birdies via 5 holes earlier than his bid resulted in a span of 4 holes. He had consecutive three-putt bogeys from lengthy vary, after which adopted with a wild drive into the timber left of the eighth fairway that led to double bogey. He went from a two-shot result in three pictures behind and by no means caught up, closing with a 71 to tie for sixth.
However then, Gotterup did not give anybody a lot of an opportunity.
“It was anybody’s event,” Gotterup mentioned. “Then I made a pair good putts and I noticed a pair individuals drop again. I do know Ryan performed an amazing event and he tried to make a run on the finish. Couple different guys performed nice and I simply held them off.”
Even on an old-school Waialae course with doglegs framed by royal palms, he pounded away with tee pictures of 330-plus yards early on the again 9. Nevertheless it was his putter that in the end made a distinction.
Gotterup holed a 20-footer on No. 12, after which poured in a 25-foot putt on the thirteenth, the hardest gap on the course. He all however clinched it with a tee shot that landed completely between the pin and the bunker on the par-3 seventeenth for a ultimate birdie.
He mentioned the course reminded him of residence, and Gotterup has numerous these these days — raised in New Jersey and three years at Rutgers, a senior season at Oklahoma the place he stayed till not too long ago transferring to Florida.
This reference was Jersey, primarily the form of the holes and the pictures required.
“Simply the best way you play the golf course jogs my memory numerous how I grew up enjoying,” Gotterup mentioned. “So that could be a comforting feeling. I do know the type of golf that is required … and it is a high-quality line of bomb-and-gouge and in addition needing to be within the fairway. I did sufficient of discovering the golf green this week.”
Gotterup gained the Scottish Open final yr by outplaying Rory McIlroy, and he gained the opposite-field Myrtle Seaside Traditional in his rookie season. He is the sixth participant for the reason that begin of 2024 to win 3 times on the PGA Tour, becoming a member of Scottie Scheffler (13), McIlroy (5), Xander Schauffele (3), Hideki Matsuyama (3) and Ben Griffin (3).
The Sony Open was the most recent begin to the PGA Tour season as a result of The Sentry at Kapalua on Maui was canceled because of a water dispute that had the course brown in September.
The ultimate spherical at Waialae was performed beneath a vibe that this may be the final of Hawaii on the tour. The Sony Open title sponsorship expires this yr, and there’s a motion to start out the tour season later than ever in 2027 and going ahead, both proper earlier than or after the Tremendous Bowl.
“Hopefully,” Gotterup mentioned, “I am not the final champion.”
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
