The 91st edition of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale delivered the kind of drama fans have come to expect from "The People’s Open," culminating in a playoff showdown between Chris Gotterup and two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama on February 8, 2026. Under the Arizona sun and the roar of the sport’s rowdiest gallery, Gotterup staged a remarkable late charge, birdieing five of his last six holes in regulation before sealing victory with a clutch, 27-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole. For Gotterup, a 26-year-old third-year professional who had missed the cut in each of the prior two Phoenix Opens, this win marked his fourth career PGA Tour title and his second in just three starts this season.
Gotterup’s Sunday performance was nothing short of electric. He closed with a 7-under 64, making nine birdies on the day, including a closing stretch that left the crowd breathless. "To come out on top and do it the way I did in the playoff was awesome," Gotterup told reporters, his excitement barely contained. He credited a return of confidence on the greens for his turnaround, saying, "I didn't change anything. I just was maybe more intentional with what I was doing. Nothing different other than just making sure that I was confident in what I was doing."
Entering the final round, Gotterup trailed Matsuyama by four strokes and looked an unlikely winner after his putter cooled off over the previous two days. But after a focused practice session following Saturday’s round, his touch returned just in time. As Gotterup waited on the first tee for a potential playoff, the tension was palpable—he admitted, "You never know what to expect. We went over to the first tee, hit a couple balls, was watching, and then all of a sudden you're out there on 18 and everyone is going nuts and you're like, all right, this is it."
Meanwhile, Matsuyama, who had converted all five of his previous 54-hole leads into victories on the PGA Tour, struggled to keep his drives in play during the final round. He missed 11 fairways, including crucial misses on the closing holes. His tee shot on the par-4 17th nearly found the water, and on 18, he pulled his drive into the infamous church pew bunkers. A failed attempt to clear the lip with his second shot left him 43 yards short, and a missed 24-foot par putt forced a playoff at 16-under 268. Matsuyama, reflecting on the finish, said through an interpreter, "I wanted to avoid the playoff as much as I could, but I just hit a bad tee shot there in regulation at 18."
The playoff itself was a microcosm of the day’s drama. Gotterup blasted his drive down the fairway, while Matsuyama, unsettled by an unruly fan during his swing, snap-hooked his tee shot into the water. After a penalty drop, Matsuyama found the green, but the momentum had shifted decisively. Gotterup, feeling the nerves—"Can't feel a thing," he confessed—flipped a lob wedge from 90 yards to 27 feet and calmly rolled in the birdie putt. The gallery erupted. "Just trying to make sure I didn't bomb it by the hole and put some pressure on Hideki, and for it to find the hole like that is really awesome," Gotterup said.
This victory was especially sweet for Gotterup, who had started the year with a win at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Less than a month later, he was hoisting another trophy, joining elite company as a multi-time winner so early in the season. His $1.7 million payday was the icing on the cake, but the real prize was the validation of his belief in his game. "I feel confident in what I'm doing and feel like I have played well enough to feel confident to be able to be in those positions. So far, I've been able to capitalize on those," he reflected.
The final round wasn’t just a two-man show. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Phoenix Open champion himself, nearly pulled off a comeback for the ages. Scheffler, who opened with a shaky 73, clawed his way back with rounds of 65 and a Sunday 64, finishing tied for third at 15-under. He thrilled the massive crowds—joined by Arizona sports icons like Devin Booker and Bijan Robinson—by stringing together birdies and sinking a 72-foot putt from the fringe on 14. But a missed 24-foot birdie putt on 18 left him just short of joining the playoff. "I played pretty well -- only one round where I didn't have my best stuff," Scheffler said. "If I get in the house the first day with a couple under par it's a little different story today."
Other contenders included Michael Thorbjornsen, who briefly held the lead after a birdie on 13 and an eagle on 15, but faltered with bogeys on 16 and 17, the latter after finding water off the tee. Thorbjornsen finished tied for third, but remained upbeat: "I don't think I failed out there. I'm just learning. We're inching our way closer and closer. It'll happen at some point."
This year’s WM Phoenix Open once again lived up to its reputation as the “Greatest – and Greenest – Show on Grass.” More than 3,500 volunteers helped orchestrate the event, ensuring its status as the largest Zero-Waste sporting event in the world, thanks in large part to the leadership of title sponsor WM. The tournament’s unique atmosphere—rowdy, energetic, yet respectful—was on full display, with fans playing a central role in the week’s excitement and, in Matsuyama’s case, even impacting the outcome.
Matsuyama, winner of the Phoenix Open in 2016 and 2017, was gracious in defeat, vowing to learn from the experience and return stronger. "Grinding all weekend, didn’t have my best stuff but hung in there… It’s disappointing. Shock. Learn from it and just get back on the horse next week," he said through his interpreter.
As the sun set over Scottsdale, the 91st WM Phoenix Open crowned a new champion in Chris Gotterup, whose late heroics and unflappable nerve delivered a finish that will be replayed for years to come. With the 92nd edition already on the horizon, one thing is certain: at TPC Scottsdale, the drama is never in short supply, and the fans will be ready for more.