While few are likely to get the better of Scottie Scheffler this season, Chris Gotterup can at least say that he was the first player to win multiple events on the PGA Tour in 2026.

Two of the three players to win on the PGA Tour this year were in the field for the WM Phoenix Open. In fact, they were playing together over the first two days at TPCScottsdale.

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Chris Gotterup flew out of the blocks with a superb 63 on Thursday. And after making five birdies in his final six holes, the 26-year-old ended up in a playoff with Hideki Matsuyama.

Remarkably, it was Scottie Scheffler who lost the clubhouse lead when Gotterup finished up on Sunday.

Chris Gotterup comments on Scottie Scheffler after winning the WM Phoenix Open

It was incredible to see how close Scheffler came to winning the event for a third time when you consider how his week began.

The world number one shot 73 on Thursday to leave himself with a battle just to make the cut. Of course, those of us who doubted him were left to look extremely foolish.

One person who did not doubt him, however, was Gotterup. Following his win, he was asked about being in the same group as Scheffler got off to such a disappointing start.

“Well, I watched the two-over round, so I know he’s going to play well. Everyone has seen it out here. If I could bet on golf, I would have put a lot of money on him to come out and play good on Friday. And I didn’t,” he said.

“But he’s the best player in the world right now, and what he did today, I’m playing behind him again, so I could hear it all day. There’s no pressure, if he wins a golf tournament, you’re not surprised. But yeah, to take advantage, I guess, to your point, is nice. But any week you’re just trying to beat everyone in the field.”

Scottie Scheffler was in unfamiliar territory after a nightmare first day at TPC Scottsdale

Gotterup may have been confident that Scheffler would bounce back, but there was a very good reason why fans may not have been so convinced.

Since the start of the 2024 season, Scheffler had posted just one opening round of 73 or worse. That came at the US Open at Oakmont last year.

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So there was an element of the unknown at TPC Scottsdale when Scheffler struggled so much in the opening round. He did not look anything like himself, particularly as he had won at The American Express already this year.

What will be alarming to the rest of the PGA Tour is the fact that Scheffler still looked to be nowhere near his best over the remaining three days, and yet, came within one shot of ending up in the playoff.