Is Chris Gotterup the PGA TOUR’s Best Closer? His Resume Says So

Two things are true about Chris Gotterup in 2026. First, he has yet to hold a 54-hole lead in 17 starts. Second, he has now won three times, tying Matt Fitzpatrick for most wins on the season and vaulting up to 6th in the FedExCup Standings.

His win on Sunday at the John Deere Classic–like the two that came before it–was sealed with a final round of 64 or better. Winning after a final round that good has only happened four times this entire season, and Gotterup has three of those.

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But this most recent victory deserves even more applause. Not only was it a great round but it was the best round of the day by two strokes. The bogey-free, 9-under-par round of 62 on Sunday brought him from a tie for 12th after 54 holes to a one-shot victory.

Gotterup is no doubt a rising star on the PGA TOUR. He opened his season with a win at the Sony Open, and quickly followed it with another trophy at the WM Phoenix Open, where he defeated Hideki Matsuyama in a dramatic playoff.

His first foray into Signature Events raised some eyebrows, finishing with an unremarkable T37 and missed cut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, respectively. I’ll be the first to admit that I thought he might not be able to replicate his success on bigger stages.

While the John Deere is probably the weakest field he’s won against in 2026, Gotterup has managed to log impressive finishes at the PGA Championship and Truist Championship, among other bigger events. In just his third full season on the PGA TOUR, Gotterup has tallied five wins. This coming week, he will defend his title at the Scottish Open.

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So what’s next for Gotterup? After the Scottish Open he will head to Royal Birkdale, trying to chase down a major championship victory that would put him in an even higher echelon of players. With a solo 3rd finish last year, he will certainly be a popular pick. Only time will tell, but it’s hard to imagine that the 26-year-old American doesn’t have a lot more left in the tank.

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