Gotterup Golf Sensation Chris Gotterup Stuns PGA Tour with Record-Breaking Debut

Chris Gotterup’s summer surge shows no signs of cooling. Fresh off a solo-third at the Open Championship and a dramatic win at the Genesis Scottish Open, the 25-year-old “Jersey Bomber” arrived at this week’s 3M Open sitting 23rd in the FedExCup and brimming with confidence. Momentum was obvious in Thursday’s opening round at TPC Twin Cities, where Gotterup fired a flawless 64—good for a share of the early lead and just four shots shy of the course-record 60 he carded here last year. The swing speed (averaging 124 mph) was still nuclear, but it was the putter—ranked 5th in Strokes Gained: Putting over his last five starts—that kept him in cruise control. The heater dates back five tournaments: three top-30s, a win, and now back-to-back podiums, a stretch that has vaulted Gotterup inside the Ryder Cup conversation. Captain Zach Johnson hinted on Wednesday that “form matters more than résumé,” and form is Gotterup’s calling card. Key stats powering the rise • Driving Distance: 1st on TOUR (323.7 yds) • Birdie Average: 4th (4.78 per round) • SG: Total over last 20 rounds: +1.92 (7th) What’s fueling the breakout? Gotterup credits a simplified pre-shot routine and a new 10.5° driver head that reduced spin by 300 rpm. “I’m just hitting my windows and trusting the speed,” he said after Friday’s range session. Looking ahead A strong finish in Minnesota could push Gotterup into the Wyndham Rewards Top-20 bonus pool and virtually lock up a FedExCup berth at East Lake. He’s also committed to the Olympic qualifying cutoff next month; a win would move him inside the automatic top-15 on the U.S. points list. SEO takeaways: golf fans searching for “Chris Gotterup 3M Open,” “Gotterup FedExCup standings,” and “Gotterup Ryder Cup chances” will find no shortage of buzz. With a game built for highlight reels and leaderboards, the former Haskins Award winner is suddenly a must-watch name every weekend. Stay tuned—Gotterup’s heater might just be getting started.