One would think that no one could rival Scottie Scheffler’s dominant form and Jordan Spieth’s long-term consistency. However, they are paired with Chris Gotterup, a rising star who Jim Nantz believes is just getting started at the WM Phoenix Open.
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This first round pairing feels less like a routine and more like a statement. As TPC Scottsdale readies for another loud, fast-paced week, this trio hints at a shifting hierarchy that could turn early rounds into something far more revealing than a warm-up.
“Scottie Scheffler will play alongside Jordan Spieth and Chris Gotterup for the first two rounds of the WM Phoenix Open. 10:15am ET on Thursday. 2:55pm ET on Friday,” Underdog Golf reported in an X post.
Scottie Scheffler opened his 2026 campaign just where he left the 2025 season. He won the very first event he played this year at the 2026 American Express. This continues his dominant run, in which he has won three of his last five official PGA Tour starts, including the BMW Championship and the Procore Championship in 2025.
He began 2026 as a clear World No. 1 and reigning four‑time PGA Tour Player of the Year. At Phoenix specifically, Scheffler is a two‑time WM Phoenix Open winner. This means that he is returning to a venue he already likes. Although last year was not good for him, as he finished T25, the 20x PGA Tour winner would like to make up for it.
Jordan Spieth, on the other hand, has had a pretty impressive run himself.
He is a three‑time major champion and one of the Tour’s most popular players. Paired with the World No. 1, the duo already makes a marquee “stadium” group for the early rounds in Scottsdale. But to add to that is the PGA Tour’s rising star, Chris Gotterup.
During the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, Amanda Balionis asked Jim Nantz about the storyline he is most excited about. She would hope the mention of stars like Rory McIlroy. However, Nantz said that it could be Chris Gotterup.
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Scottie Scheffler will play alongside Jordan Spieth and Chris Gotterup for the first two rounds of the WM Phoenix Open.
10:15am ET on Thursday. 2:55pm ET on Friday. pic.twitter.com/60zmlWzNa0
— Underdog Golf (@UnderdogGolf) February 3, 2026
“He is in pretty starry company today,” Nantz mentioned. “Very powerful player. If he can putt, he is going to be a serious guy on the PGA Tour for a long time. I feel like he is just getting started.”
Chris Gotterup is coming in hot off a breakout 2025 season.
After early‑year struggles, he rattled off eight top‑30s in nine starts. He also stared down Rory McIlroy in the final group to win the Genesis Scottish Open for his second PGA Tour victory. The former Oklahoma standout led the Korn Ferry Tour in driving distance and ranked inside the top 10 in greens in regulation and birdie average. In fact, he now holds three PGA Tour wins overall, including the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic, the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, and the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii.
After his most recent win at the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii, he climbed to the World No. 16. In his second start of the year at the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open, he finished T18. The 2026 WM Phoenix Open will be his 3rd start of the season.
Looking at his current form, he can certainly give a hard time and even outdo both Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, just like Nantz had warned.
Chris Gotterup’s recent words only added more weight to the buzz. It offered a glimpse into the mindset that has quickly turned him from a promising talent into a player the sport’s biggest names are starting to track.
Chris Gotterup’s winning mindset comes into focus
The confidence behind Chris Gotterup’s rise was on full display after his win at the season opener Sony Open in Hawaii 2026. Standing in the glow of his latest trophy, he didn’t shy away from acknowledging the pattern he sees in his own game.
“When I’ve been in control of my game, when I’ve had a chance to win, I’ve done it. This is another example,” the 3x PGA Tour winner said.
His comment felt like a personal benchmark. That statement reflects the way his career has unfolded over the past year.
He fought through early-season inconsistency in 2025. The American professional missed 9 cuts in the 28 starts in 2025. All of these came by the first week of April 2025. But after that, he started appearing in the top 10s.
His Genesis Scottish Open win and the solo 3rd finish at The Open Championship came after that.
By closing out high-profile fields against established stars, Gotterup has built a reputation for himself. He can capitalize when the moment is ripe. The Sony Open win reinforced that trend.
As he steps onto the tee alongside Scheffler and Spieth in Scottsdale, that same belief in his closing ability may be the factor that shifts attention away from the familiar names and toward the newest one in the spotlight.
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