GOLF: Chris Gotterup wins season-opening Sony Open by two shots

Chris Gotterup showed once again that he thrives when the pressure is highest.

The American golfer fired a 6-under-par 64 in the final round to win the season-opening Sony Open on Sunday at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.

Gotterup finished at 16-under 264, two strokes ahead of runner-up Ryan Gerard.

“When I’ve been in control of my game, when I’ve had a chance to win, I’ve done it,” Gotterup said. “This is another example. When you get in contention, you’re able to hit shots under the gun. You just believe in yourself that you can do it again.

“Sometimes there’s blind luck involved, and I’ll take as much as I can get. But I played pretty good this week.”

Strong Finish Seals Victory

Gotterup recorded seven birdies in the final round and maintained his composure throughout the closing holes. He built a three-stroke lead as he moved through the back nine and finished the tournament without a bogey in his final four holes across all four rounds.

“You couldn’t dream up a better starter,” Gotterup said, referring to his early birdies in the final round.

Two of his birdies came on par-3 holes, including a 12-foot putt on No. 17. The win marked Gotterup’s third PGA Tour title and his third victory in three consecutive seasons.

“There's a lot of nice things that come with it,” he said, becoming emotional when speaking about the support around him.

“Everyone believes in me.”

Other Top Finishers

Ryan Gerard shot 65 in the final round to finish second, while Patrick Rodgers posted a bogey-free 65 to finish third at 13 under.

Rodgers admitted he might have benefited from calmer wind conditions earlier in the day but said he was focused on his process.

“I was focused on my process today and put as many good holes together as I could and was trying to make enough birdies to get up there and catch him,” Rodgers said.

MacIntyre’s Costly Mistake

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre recorded the round’s best score with a 63, finishing at 12 under and tied for fourth with Jacob Bridgeman (64).

MacIntyre revealed he snapped his putter on the 17th hole Friday, then missed a 3-foot putt on the next hole.

“Doing that cost me a shot,” he said. “Big, big reminder for me that attitude has got to be right for 72 holes, not just 36. Because at the end of the day, my attitude cost me this golf tournament, and I can’t be allowing that.”

Notable Performances

Third-round leader Davis Riley struggled early but finished with a 71 to end at 11 under, tied for sixth.

Defending champion Nick Taylor of Canada shot 70 and finished at 9 under, tied for 13th.

—Field Level Media/Reuters