The 2026 WM Phoenix Open ended the way TPC Scottsdale demands — in chaos, noise, and drama. Chris Gotterup birdied five of his final six holes in regulation to force a playoff with Hideki Matsuyama, then watched Matsuyama's tee shot ricochet off a steel pole and plunge into the water on the playoff hole before sinking a 27-foot birdie putt to claim his fourth career PGA Tour title and his second win of the 2026 season in just three starts.
Tournament Overview
The WM Phoenix Open, held February 5-8 at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, is one of the loudest and most electric stops on the PGA Tour calendar. The famous 16th hole — a short par-3 surrounded by stadium seating that holds tens of thousands of fans — is unlike any hole in professional golf, and the energy it generates sets the tone for the entire week. In 2026, the tournament delivered a finish worthy of its reputation.
Final Leaderboard
| Pos | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Gotterup | -16 (268)* |
| 2 | Hideki Matsuyama | -16 (268) |
| T3 | Scottie Scheffler | -15 (269) |
| T3 | Akshay Bhatia | -15 (269) |
| T3 | Si Woo Kim | -15 (269) |
| T3 | Nicolai Hojgaard | -15 (269) |
| T3 | Michael Thorbjornsen | -15 (269) |
* Gotterup defeated Matsuyama on the first playoff hole
How It Unfolded
Heading into the final holes of regulation, Matsuyama held the advantage at 17-under — one clear of Gotterup and seemingly in firm control. He birdied the par-5 15th to extend his lead, then parred 16 and 17. Standing on the 18th tee needing only a par to win, the title appeared to be his.
It wasn't. Matsuyama's driver had been causing trouble all week, and it betrayed him again at the worst possible moment. A pulled tee shot found the bunker, and after his second shot struck the lip of the bunker, he was unable to get up-and-down. The closing bogey dropped him back to 16-under and into a tie with Gotterup, who had birdied five of his last six holes to force the playoff.
The sudden-death playoff returned to the 18th, and the drama continued. Gotterup striped a 360-yard drive down the middle. Matsuyama again struggled off the tee — his drive struck a steel pole along the edge of the course and caromed directly into the water hazard. From there, recovery was impossible. Gotterup needed only to make birdie, and he did, draining a 27-foot putt to seal one of the wilder finishes TPC Scottsdale has hosted in recent memory.
Key Storylines
Two Wins in Three Starts
Chris Gotterup arrived in Scottsdale having already won the Sony Open to open the season. With the Phoenix Open title, he became one of just a handful of players in recent Tour history to win two of his first three starts in a single season. He now has four career PGA Tour victories, and at the pace he is playing in 2026, the conversation around him is shifting from "promising player" to genuine contender at any event he enters.
Matsuyama's Heartbreak on 18
Hideki Matsuyama had done everything right for 71 holes. His bogey on the 72nd to fall into the playoff, and then the freakish bounce off the steel pole that ended his playoff chances, were the kind of cruel turns that linger. He came to Scottsdale in strong form after his Hero World Challenge victory in December, and he played well enough to win. Golf, on occasion, simply has other ideas.
Scheffler Among the Chasing Pack
Scottie Scheffler, fresh off his 20th career win at the American Express the week before, finished in the five-way tie for third at 15-under. He is the rare player for whom a top-five finish at a major event feels like a minor disappointment, which says everything about where his game currently sits.
Final Thoughts
The WM Phoenix Open has built its reputation on chaos, and the 2026 edition lived up to every bit of it. Matsuyama's collapse on 18, the steel pole playoff deflection, and Gotterup's 27-foot birdie putt to close it out — it was the kind of Sunday that TPC Scottsdale was made for. Gotterup is now the undisputed hottest player on Tour through the early weeks of 2026, and the rest of the field will need to find an answer for him before the season's biggest events arrive.