Chris Gotterup Matches Scottie Scheffler With 4 PGA Tour Wins in 365 Days

Q: Four wins in a year match Scottie Scheffler, so why is Chris Gotterup still considered golf's most underrated star?

Chris Gotterup is still seen as underrated because his results have outpaced his reputation. On paper, he already belongs with the elite. Over the past year he has won four PGA Tour events, is up to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and is the youngest player in the top 10. His victories have come in very different ways — from behind, in a playoff against Hideki Matsuyama, and by protecting a 54-hole lead against Rory McIlroy in Scotland — which suggests this is not a fluke built on one hot week or one course fit. What has lagged is recognition. Gotterup does not yet carry the profile of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy or other established stars, partly because he is still early in his career and has not won a major. Scheffler’s broader résumé — world No. 1 status, majors, and sustained dominance — sets the standard for public attention, so even a player matching him in recent win count can be overshadowed. There is also a timing factor. Gotterup’s rise has been fast. He turned pro only in 2022, and much of the golf audience is still catching up to a player who was not long ago better known for college success at Rutgers and Oklahoma than for PGA Tour contention. Yet the evidence is strong that the label may not last much longer. He has five career PGA Tour wins at 26, strong major results including third at the 2025 Open, and says the key is that the “floor” of his game has improved. That consistency is usually what turns a breakout player into a recognized star.

Q: He just won with his brother as caddie; what is the secret behind this family duo's sudden rise to PGA Tour dominance?

The “secret” is not a sudden trick but a mix of Chris Gotterup’s improved consistency and the calming, trusted presence of his brother Patrick on the bag. Gotterup’s rise has been building for years. Patrick has said the results reflect “steady growth” from Chris’s college days through the Korn Ferry Tour and into the PGA Tour, not an overnight leap. Chris’s own explanation is that the floor of his game has risen: even on off days, he now keeps himself in tournaments. That has shown up in his results across very different setups, from the Scottish Open to Phoenix to the John Deere Classic, where he closed with a bogey-free 62 after starting the day five shots back. The numbers back it up. Over the past year he has matched Scottie Scheffler with four PGA Tour wins, climbed to No. 7 in the world, and become the youngest player in the top 10. At the John Deere, he led the field in strokes gained off the tee and needed only 23 putts in the final round, a sign that his power game and scoring touch are peaking together. Patrick’s role is less about swing mechanics than trust and emotional control. He has caddied for Chris before, including in developmental stages of his career, and their familiarity created a relaxed atmosphere. Chris said they were joking and enjoying the week, and he openly credited Patrick afterward. In pressure moments, that family comfort appears to sharpen, not distract, a player whose talent and resilience were already trending toward the top.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 6

Four PGA Tour wins in the last 365 days have lifted Chris Gotterup level with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, an unexpected rise for the 26-year-old American.
Gotterup had only one tour title before the 2025 Scottish Open, but since then has won in multiple ways — including a playoff over Hideki Matsuyama and a 54-hole conversion against Rory McIlroy.
No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Gotterup is the youngest player in the top 10 and now owns more PGA Tour victories than Cameron Young and Ludvig Aberg combined.
His form has also carried into majors: before a T43 at the U.S. Open, he posted four straight top-25 major finishes, highlighted by solo third at the Open at Royal Portrush.
A closing 9-under at the John Deere Classic underscored the broader shift in his game, with Gotterup saying even his off-days have improved as he pushes to extend a breakout season.