Chris Gotterup just shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 at TPC Scottsdale, and every degenerate holding a Scottie Scheffler futures ticket is staring at a +2 first round wondering what the hell happened. The world's best golfer looked mortal. The 16th hole crowd probably didn't help.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: Gotterup leads the WM Phoenix Open after a flawless 63, while the +230 favorite Scheffler opened with a disappointing 73
• The damage: Scheffler is 10 shots back after one round, his first round over par since June 2025
• Why you should care: Scheffler futures holders are in shambles, and the R2 market just got blown wide open
• The move: Gotterup outright at whatever the live price is, or grab Fitzpatrick at a discount

Gotterup Went Full Send

Eight birdies on 18 holes. Zero bogeys. On a course that eats people alive with 200,000 drunk fans screaming at you on every tee box. Chris Gotterup played the round of his life on Thursday, and he made it look casual.

Gotterup isn't some unknown—he's been grinding on Tour and showing flashes—but a bogey-free 63 at the WM Phoenix Open is the kind of round that puts the entire field on notice. This is TPC Scottsdale, where the par-3 16th is basically a stadium concert with a putting green in the middle. Keeping your composure here is half the battle, and Gotterup didn't flinch.

Matt Fitzpatrick is two back at 6-under, which is quietly a hell of a round itself. Fitzpatrick has the game to win at this course, and being in the mix after R1 without anyone really talking about him is exactly where you want your pick to be.

The Scheffler Meltdown

Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Scheffler was +230 favorite entering the week, which is the kind of price you almost never see in professional golf. The man has been operating on a different plane of existence. He'd won four of his last seven starts.

Then he went out and shot 73.

That's 2-over par. His first over-par round since June 2025. A span of roughly eight months without posting a number worse than even par, and it ended on Thursday at TPC Scottsdale. He's 10 shots behind Gotterup, which in golf terms is a goddamn canyon.

Is Scheffler dead? Not exactly. This tournament has 54 more holes, and Scheffler has made charges before. But needing to make up 10 shots on a packed leaderboard is a tall order, even for the best player in the world. If you bought him at +230 before the tournament, your ticket is on life support.

The Leaderboard Behind Gotterup

The names at 5-under are a mix of young guns and established players: Michael Thorbjornsen, Nicolai Hojgaard, Pierceson Coody, and Sam Stevens. Any of those guys could rip off a low round Friday and take the lead.

At 4-under, you've got Kevin Roy, Max McGreevy, Daniel Berger, and Jake Knapp. Berger's presence near the top is notable—the man has talent but hasn't put together a full tournament in a while. If he's healthy and confident, watch out.

The Koepka Factor

Brooks Koepka made his return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf for this event, which we previewed in Koepka's return to the PGA Tour we previewed earlier this week. His R1 score wasn't in the headlines, which tells you he probably shot somewhere around par. Koepka always seems to find another gear on the weekend though, so don't count him out yet.

Meanwhile, JJ Spaun withdrew from the tournament amid LIV Golf rumors. Another one potentially heading to the dark side. The PGA Tour keeps losing guys while pretending everything is fine.

The Party Atmosphere

TPC Scottsdale in February is basically spring break for golf fans. The 16th hole grandstands hold 20,000 people, and approximately zero of them are sober by noon. It's the one tournament where the crowd matters as much as the course, and young players like Gotterup who feed off that energy have a real advantage.

The weekend rounds will be even louder. If Gotterup can handle Thursday's energy, he can handle anything this place throws at him.

The Bottom Line

Gotterup owns the tournament after one round with a clean 63. Scheffler is digging out of a hole. Fitzpatrick lurks. And if you need more action after following R2 on Friday, the Super Bowl is Sunday if you need more action. For now, the Phoenix Open just delivered exactly the kind of R1 chaos that makes this tournament appointment television for degenerates. Buckle up for moving day.