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Reuters

Chris Gotterup was on a roll when his fourth round at the WM Phoenix Open concluded Sunday. About an hour later, he picked up where he left off.
Gotterup posted a birdie on the first play-off hole after late mishaps by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama ‌opened the door for him to win at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course in Arizona.
Gotterup, 26, notched his second victory of 2026 and the fourth ‍of his young career. He shot a 7-under-par 64 and waited for a chance in a play-off.
“I just figured I’d stay loose,” Gotterup said. “I didn’t think this would happen, especially after Friday [71] and Saturday [70]. But here we are.”
Gotterup and Matsuyama ended up at 16-under 268 on a day when world No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move towards the top and created considerable buzz.
Gotterup has won three tour events ⁠in less than a seven-month span. This was his first time in a play-off.

“I’m having such a good time playing right now,” Gotterup said. “Just so awesome. ... There’s just so many people who believe in me.”
Gotterup, who also won last month’s season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii, posted birdies on five of the final six holes in the last round. The last of those came after he recovered from a wayward tee shot.
“I knew I had to make birdie on 18, but you never know,” Gotterup said. “Hideki was playing great.”
To end the fourth ‍round, Matsuyama’s erratic driving finally cost him. His tee shot on the 18th hole ended up in a bunker and his quest to scramble for par failed when he was off ‍the mark on a 24-foot putt. He took his lone bogey of the round.
Then Matsuyama’s tee shot on the play-off hole landed in the water alongside the fairway. Gotterup played it steady and recorded another birdie to seal the deal.
Two of Matsuyama’s 11 victories on the PGA ‌Tour have come in this tournament, winning in 2016 and 2017, but he could not finish the quest this time.
“[I] was grinding all weekend,” Matsuyama said through a translator. [I] didn’t have my best ‍stuff, but hung in there. I wanted to avoid the playoff as much as I could, but I just hit a bad tee shot there in regulation at 18 and Chris made a good putt there in the play-off.”
Matsuyama carried a one-shot lead on countryman Ryo Hisatsune into the final round.
The Japanese golfer was trying to win a fourth PGA Tour event in a 24-month period. This marked the sixth time that Matsuyama has been the outright leader through ‌54 holes on ⁠the PGA Tour, and he had won each of the previous five times.

Scheffler, who began his season two weeks earlier by winning The American Express, became the biggest story of the day for much of the round. He was within one shot of the lead through 15 holes, though he was playing several groups ahead of the last threesome. He finished with 64.
“The last three days I played really solid,” Scheffler ‌said, knowing Thursday’s 73 cost him. “Overall, proud of the way I fought this week and definitely some good momentum going into next week.”
Michael Thorbjornsen (67), Akshay Bhatia (67), South Korea’s Kim Si-woo (68) and Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (68) shared third place with Scheffler at 15 under.
Scheffler played the front side in three under and then strung together ‌three more birdies on 13-15. That included ‌sinking a shot from the fringe about 72 feet away on the par-4 14th. He also birdied No 17.
China’s Zecheng Dou had the day’s best round with 63, moving him to 11 under and tied for 13th.


Chris Gotterup beats Hideki Matsuyama ‌in play-off to claim Phoenix Open title

Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune leads compatriot Hideki Matsuyama at Phoenix Open, Scheffler makes cut

Patrick Reed, Rolex and rule changes: 24 hours in the hectic world of LIV Golf

Hong Kong golf star Tiffany Chan eyeing happier 2026 after physical and mental reset

PGA Tour

Chris Gotterup beat Hideki Matsuyama on the first hole of a play-off to win the Phoenix Open golf tournament. Photo: AP

Chris Gotterup (right) shakes hands with Hideki Matsuyama after the play-off. Photo: AP

World  No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move towards the top. Photo: AFP 

Hong Kong swimming star Siobhan Haughey makes record-breaking start to Asian Games year

Hong Kong star Siobhan Haughey won the 50m freestyle at the Dubai Swimming Championships in meet-record time. Photo: Handout

Siobhan Haughey also gave insights on how she copes when things do not work out. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong cyclists ‘not proud of themselves’ after missed medal opportunity

From left, Boey Leung, Ceci Lee and Kwan Tsz-kwan cooling down after the women’s road race at the Asian Road Cycling Championships in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Photo: Handout

Coach Herve Dagorne (right) praised Ceci Lee (left) for not giving up the fight. Photo: Eugene Lee

Chloe Leung finished in 21st place in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Handout

Sport

Golf

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move towards the top and created considerable buzz on the final day in Arizona


World No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move towards the top and created considerable buzz on the final day in Arizona.


Scottie Scheffler

Chris Gotterup beats Hideki Matsuyama ‌in play-off to claim Phoenix Open title

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}World No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move towards the top and created considerable buzz on the final day in Arizona

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong move towards the top and created considerable buzz on the final day in Arizona