Chris Gotterup Amateur Career Look Back: The Rise of a Future PGA Tour Star

Player Profile

From New Jersey amateur standout to the top player in college golf — and now a four-time PGA Tour winner — Gotterup’s path has followed a clear upward trajectory.

A Loud Start to the Season for Gotterup

Chris Gotterup’s victory at the 2026 Waste Management Phoenix Open is more than just another PGA Tour trophy — it’s the latest milestone in the rapid rise of one of golf’s most exciting modern contenders.

Now a four-time PGA Tour winner and a proven performer on the sport’s biggest stages, Gotterup’s path to the top was built on a dominant amateur and collegiate career that made him a can’t-miss prospect long before he became a household name.

As Gotterup continues to contend in majors and signature events, here’s a full look back at the amateur success that shaped one of the PGA Tour’s newest stars.

Fast Facts: Chris Gotterup

At a Glance 2026 WM Phoenix Open champion

BirthdayJuly 20, 1999
BornEaston, Maryland
RaisedLittle Silver, New Jersey
Joined PGA Tour2024
PGA Tour wins4 (2 in 2026 season)
Career PGA Tour earnings$10,099,780

PGA Tour Wins 4-time winner

2026 Waste Management Phoenix Open
2026 Sony Open in Hawaii
2025 Genesis Scottish Open
2024 Myrtle Beach Classic

Notable Highlights Big-stage results

T10 — Tour Championship (2025)
3rd — The Open Championship at Royal Portrush (2025)

Early Life and Background

Chris Gotterup was born in Easton, Maryland, to parents Kate and Morten Gotterup, and raised in Little Silver, New Jersey. He has two siblings — a brother, Patrick, and a sister, Anna — and comes from an athletic family. His father was a collegiate tennis player and an accomplished golfer who won multiple New Jersey State Golf Association tournaments.

Gotterup is of Danish descent through his paternal grandparents, and as of 2025 he has embraced the Danish spelling of his surname — Gøtterup — on social media.

Before fully committing to golf, Gotterup was a standout lacrosse player for 12 years, a sport he credits with helping develop the athleticism and rotational power that later became hallmarks of his golf swing. Growing up, he also played and caddied at New Jersey’s Rumson Country Club, gaining early exposure to competitive golf and the game’s traditions.

He attended Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey, where he played varsity golf and graduated in 2017. By the end of high school, he had already established himself as one of the top junior golfers in the region — setting the foundation for what would become an elite amateur and collegiate career.

College Golf Career

Chris Gotterup’s college résumé stands among the strongest of any recent American amateur, highlighted by a record-setting run at Rutgers and a historic final season at Oklahoma.

Rutgers University (2017–2021) Big Ten star

Gotterup became one of the most decorated players in program history, headlined by a breakthrough 2019–20 season.

2019–20 Big Ten Player of the Year
2020 First Team All-Big Ten
2019–20 Big Ten Les Bolstad Award (lowest conference scoring average)
2020 NCAA Division I PING All-American (Third Team)
2020 GolfWeek All-American (Honorable Mention)
2020 Arnold Palmer Cup finalist
MGA Amateur Player of the Year; NJSGA Amateur Player of the Year
Highest Big Ten Championship finish in Rutgers history: T4 (2019)

Rutgers Record Book Owns school records in scoring average, par-3 scoring, par-4 scoring, par-5 scoring, and number of par-or-better rounds.

Signature wins (Rutgers era) 2019

Metropolitan Amateur Champion
New Jersey State Open Champion
Fighting Irish Classic Champion

University of Oklahoma (2021–22) National POY

After transferring to Oklahoma, Gotterup elevated his game to the top of college golf, delivering one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory.

Haskins Award winner
Jack Nicklaus Award winner
Consensus No. 1 player in college golf
Consensus First-Team All-American
Big 12 Golfer of the Year; Big 12 Newcomer of the Year

Best finishes at Oklahoma

1st — 2021 East Lake Cup (stroke play)
1st — 2022 Puerto Rico Classic

In the 2022 Puerto Rico Classic, he fired 66-64-66 to finish at -20, the second-lowest score versus par in Oklahoma history and one of the lowest totals in NCAA history.

Scoring average: 69.83 (third-best in Oklahoma history)
School record: 28 par-or-better rounds
Season finish: T5 at NCAA Championship (one shot behind the national champion)
Big 12 Championship runner-up

Pro-ready signal Made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur and finished T7 at the Puerto Rico Open.

Chris Gotterup’s Key Amateur Wins

Before his PGA Tour breakthrough, Gotterup compiled an impressive list of amateur wins that reflected both his regional dominance and national-level ceiling.

2019 Metropolitan Amateur
2019 Fighting Irish Classic
2019 New Jersey State Open
2022 Puerto Rico Classic Champion

From Amateur Star to PGA Contender

Chris Gotterup’s rise has been fast — but it has never been surprising. From winning major amateur championships in New Jersey, to becoming the top player in college golf at Oklahoma, to now capturing four PGA Tour titles, his career has followed a clear upward trajectory.

Big-stage proof points 2025 season

T10 — Tour Championship
3rd — The Open Championship at Royal Portrush

Joined Tour: 2024 Wins: 4 Earnings: $10,099,780

Looking Ahead

With multiple wins this season and a growing presence in golf’s biggest events, Chris Gotterup is no longer just a breakout story — he’s a legitimate contender.

As the PGA Tour calendar heads into the heart of major championship season, don’t be surprised if Gotterup’s name continues to appear on leaderboards all year long. His amateur career proved he could win anywhere. Now, he’s doing it on the biggest stage in golf.