HONOLULU — Chris Gotterup had leis draped around his neck, a flute of champagne in one hand and the gold Sony Open trophy in the other for the traditional toast from the Waialae Country Club members Sunday evening.
The 26-year-old East Coaster has always loved coming to Hawaii, even if the occasion was never worth celebrating.
Gotterup was part of the PGA Tour rookie class that came to Honolulu in 2024 for orientation, only to be told there was no room for them in the field. He missed the cut a year ago, falling to No. 195 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
On Sunday, he pulled away with a combination of power and putting for a 6-under-par 64 to win the Sony Open by two shots, giving him three victories in three years on the PGA Tour and moving him closer to golf’s A list.
“I just felt like this week I was in a good frame of mind, just happy to be here,” Gotterup said. “I felt like I was in control of my brain, which is the most important thing. I drove it great and made some putts when it mattered.”