02/05/26 07:03:00
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02/05 19:01 CST Gotterup shoots 63, Scheffler struggles in first round of
Phoenix Open
Gotterup shoots 63, Scheffler struggles in first round of Phoenix Open
By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Sports Writer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) --- Chris Gotterup shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 to take
a two-shot lead Thursday in the first round of the Phoenix Open on a rare day
when top-ranked Scottie Scheffler struggled.
Warm weather --- even for the desert --- led to some long drives and low scores
at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course.
England's Matt Fitzpatrick matched the back-nine record with a 29 to shoot 65,
and Sam Stevens was among a group of four players at 66.
Scheffler was not among those going low. The four-time player of the year
flubbed two chip shots that rolled back to his feet during a 2-over 73 that put
his streak of 65 cuts in jeopardy.
Brooks Koepka also struggled. The five-time major champion had just one birdie
in a 75 in his second tournament since being reinstated by the PGA Tour.
Gotterup shot a final-round 64 in season-opening Sony Open on Oahu for his
third victory in three PGA Tour seasons. He tied for 18th at Torrey Pines last
week.
The 26-year-old missed the cut his two previous trips to TPC Scottsdale, but
seemed to have the course figured out in his opening round.
Gotterup jump-started his round by rolling in a 27-foot eagle putt from just
off the green on the par-5 13th hole. He soaked up the boozy roars at the
stadium par-3 16th by pouring in a 7-footer for his third straight birdie and
added another on 18 to turn in 6-under 30.
Gotterup two-putted for birdie on the par-5 third and added 26-footer on the
long par-3 seventh to match the opening 63 he had in Hawaii.
Scheffler arrived at TPC Scottsdale on a roll, eyeing his third straight PGA
Tour win amid a run of 33 straight sub-par rounds.
The winner at The American Express two weeks ago, Scheffler showed a rare
display of anger when his chip shot at the par-4 18th rolled back to his feet
and took another bogey when he did the same thing on the par-4 eighth.
Scheffler was 10 shots back and in danger of missing a cut for the first time
since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship. He headed straight to the range
after his round, hoping to find something that would allow him to go low Friday
to continue the PGA Tour's longest active cuts streak.
Fitzpatrick opened with birdies on Nos. 10 and 11, then reeled after a run of
five straight starting on No. 13. He shot 7 under to tie back-nine record with
seven others and added another birdie on the par-5 third before stumbling to
the finish with two closing bogeys.
The 2022 U.S. Open champion has not won since the 2023 RBC Heritage at Hilton
Head.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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