SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Chris Gotterup demonstrated his mastery of TPC Scottsdale with an impressive performance, giving him the chance to experience the much-anticipated Saturday of the Phoenix Open. Gotterup shot an exceptional bogey-free 8-under 63 in Thursday’s first round, taking a two-shot lead while top-ranked player Scottie Scheffler faced struggles on the course.
“I don’t know if the course has changed at all,” Gotterup stated, reflecting on his previous experiences at TPC Scottsdale, where he missed the cut in both of his prior appearances. “I just feel like I’ve been playing better and managing my game better. We were flying back from TGL and I was like, I need to see Saturday here this week.”
His performance came on a warm day in the desert that facilitated impressive drives and scoring. England’s Matt Fitzpatrick managed to match the back-nine record with a 29, finishing the round with a score of 65. Four players, including Sam Stevens, were tied with scores of 66, while play was temporarily halted due to darkness with 26 players having shot 68 or better.
In contrast to Gotterup’s success, Scheffler, the four-time player of the year, encountered difficulties with his game. His 2-over 73 put his consecutive cuts streak of 65 at risk, as he struggled with chip shots that rolled back during play. Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, also had a challenging day, finishing with only one birdie for a score of 75.
Gotterup, 26, had previously shown promise this season with a final-round 64 at the Sony Open, marking his third victory in three seasons on the PGA Tour. After starting Thursday’s round with a 27-foot eagle putt on the par-5 13th, he quickly gained momentum at the stadium par-3 16th, sinking a 7-footer for his third consecutive birdie, ultimately making the turn at 6-under 30.
He continued strong, two-putting for birdie on the par-5 third and matching his opening 63 from Hawaii with a 26-footer on the long par-3 seventh. “I feel like I’m doing things well and thinking through things well, and I think that’s the most important thing,” Gotterup commented, recognizing that while he may not have driven his best, his putting was sharp.
Fitzpatrick opened his round with birdies on the 10th and 11th holes but encountered some setbacks after his impressive run on the back nine, finishing 7 under and tying the back-nine record alongside seven other players. “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,” Fitzpatrick said, expressing optimism for his positioning moving forward in the tournament.
The competition at the Phoenix Open continues to heat up, with players seeking to capitalize on their strong starts and aim for victory in the coming rounds.