NJ Golfer Emerges as Rising Star on PGA Tour

Chris Gotterup, a New Jersey native, has already won 4 PGA Tour events at just 26 years old.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Chris Gotterup, a 26-year-old golfer from Little Silver, New Jersey, has quickly become one of the brightest young stars on the PGA Tour. In just the first month of the 2026 season, Gotterup has already won two tournaments - the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Arizona. This comes after a breakout 2025 season where he finished tied for 3rd at the Open Championship, his best major finish to date.

Why it matters

Gotterup's rapid rise to success on the PGA Tour is highly unusual, as most golfers don't hit their prime until their early 30s. His early career achievements have drawn comparisons to golf legends like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, who all won prolifically after turning 30. Gotterup's success could signal the emergence of a new generation of dominant young golfers.

The details

Born in Maryland but raised in Little Silver, New Jersey, Gotterup played college golf at Rutgers from 2017-2021 before transferring to the University of Oklahoma for his final season, where he won the Haskins Award and Jack Niklaus Award as the top college golfer. Since turning pro, he has quickly risen through the ranks, notching 4 PGA Tour wins in the last 9 months - more than any other player not named Scottie Scheffler.

  • The 2026 PGA Tour season officially started on January 15th.
  • Gotterup has won 2 of the 4 tournaments played so far this season.
  • Gotterup will turn 27 years old in July 2026.

The players

Chris Gotterup

A 26-year-old professional golfer from Little Silver, New Jersey who has quickly emerged as one of the rising stars on the PGA Tour, winning 4 tournaments in the last 9 months.

Scottie Scheffler

The only other PGA Tour player who has won more events than Gotterup over the last 9 months.

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What’s next

Gotterup will look to continue his strong start to the 2026 season at this week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he currently sits two shots off the lead after the first round.

The takeaway

Chris Gotterup's rapid rise to stardom on the PGA Tour at just 26 years old is highly unusual, as most golfers don't reach their prime until their early 30s. His early career success has drawn comparisons to golf legends, and could signal the emergence of a new generation of dominant young players in the sport.