Cover star Chris Gotterup shares an honest look at the swing thoughts, misses and practice habits he’s working through, reminding us that even tour winners battle the same frustrations as everyday golfers.

We also explore the evolving world of professional golf, from Luis Masaveau’s move to LIV Golf to The Undercover Pro’s candid take on life beyond the PGA Tour rumour mill. Behind the scenes, we examine the changing face of tour life through the lens of the European Tour Performance Institute and the realities of making a living as a golf professional.

Closer to home, Golf During a Conflict looks at the resilience of the Middle East golf scene, while our travel features visit Al Mouj Golf and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open.

Instruction remains central, with lessons from J. J. Spaun, Aaron Rai and Phil Mickelson, plus our 2026 Hot List guide to the year’s best golf balls. We also continue celebrating regional golf through The Gulf Club and standout performances from across the Middle East.

All this and plenty more in the June 2026 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download it to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your local golf club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

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This Chris Gotterup guy continues to display some mad skills, proving he is the proverbial force to be reckoned with by winning for the second time in three starts this year with a playoff victory over Hideki Matsuyama Sunday at the WM Phoenix Open.

The strong and stocky Maryland native birdied five of his final six holes in regulation at TPC Scottsdale to reel in Matsuyama, a two-time winner of this event, and then birdied one more time on the first playoff hole, sinking a 27-footer on the par-4 18th hole, to register his fourth career PGA title and third in his last 10 starts.

“I’m just really enjoying being out here right now, and I’m having fun,” said Gotterup, who rallied for a seven-under 64, tied for low round of the day, to finish at 16-under 268. “I feel confident in what I’m doing and feel like I have played well enough to feel confident to be able to be in those positions. So far, I’ve been able to capitalise on those, and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”

Over the course of the final round, Matsuyama was walking a tightrope with his driver that was continually throwing him off balance. Somehow, despite finding just three fairways, he arrived at the 72nd hole still upright, nursing a one-stroke lead. But missing the fairway on 18 proved costly. He found the church-pew designed bunker left of the fairway and then didn’t clear one of the grass mounds completely with his second shot. Well short of the green, he pitched to 25 feet and missed the winning par save.

Hideki finds the water on the first playoff hole @WMPhoenixOpen.

Gotterup in the fairway.

CBS pic.twitter.com/o5lBpRaeoz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 8, 2026

Then he pulled his tee shot left again in the playoff and got quite unlucky when his ball caromed off a pole near the grandstands and plopped into the water. Although he struck an excellent third to 26 feet after a penalty drop, Matsuyama never got a chance to hit another shot when Gotterup rolled in his birdie.

Matsuyama closed with a 68 and admitted he was “grinding all weekend.” Mostly that was off the tee where he lost nearly five strokes (-4.809) to the field after hitting just 25 of 56 fairways. That won’t cut it against a guy who gained 4.042 strokes with the driver and was fourth in average driving distance at 332.2 yards.

“I didn’t have my best stuff, but hung in there,” the former Masters champion said. “I wanted to avoid the playoff as much as I could, but I just hit a bad tee shot there in regulation at 18 and Chris made a good putt there in the playoff. So hats off to him.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler equalled Gotterup’s 64 highlighted by a 72-foot birdie putt at the par-4 14th hole. A two-time winner at TPC Scottsdale, Scheffler had one bogey over his final 54 holes after opening with a 73 and ended in a T-3 logjam at 269. The Texan posted his 17th consecutive top-10 finish, the first player since Billy Casper in 1965 to have a streak of that length.

Also third was Michael Thorbjornsen, who briefly surged past Matsuyama into the lead at 17 under with an 11-foot eagle putt at the par-5 15th hole. He relinquished those two strokes, however, with bogeys at 16, after missing the green, and 17 after finding the water off the tee and missing a seven-foot par save. He carded a 67.

The WM Phoenix Open was the final event to determine the AON Swing 5 group who qualify for the upcoming signature events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational. Pierceson Coody, who had his fourth straight top-25 finish, placing 10th, topped the list followed by Ryo Hisatsune, Jake Knapp, Matt McCarty and Patrick Rodgers.

Third-year PGA TOUR pro @ChrisGotterup is now a FOUR-TIME PGA TOUR WINNER!!!! pic.twitter.com/GBnI6JAwSh

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 8, 2026

Gotterup, who opened with a 62 for the first-round lead, won in the fifth playoff in seven years in the Sonoran Desert. His hopes for victory appeared to dim after he bogeyed the tough par-3 12th, but then he turned it on with his birdie flurry capped by three-footers on the last two holes.

“Just wanted to bounce back on 13 and then hit some high-quality shots coming in,” Gotterup said. “Yeah, just ended up sneaking up the leaderboard and just tried to keep making birdies, and then all of a sudden you’re in the mix.”

A Rutgers product, Gotterup opened the season by winning the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he had missed the cut the year prior. His previous WM Phoenix Open starts produced two missed cuts. Both wins came after trailing after 54 holes, in this case being four down to Matsuyama. His growth as a golfer couldn’t be more pronounced.

Now ranked No. 5 in the world, Gotterup, 26, remained modest about his burst of success. No, he didn’t see this coming. But he also didn’t think it was out of the realm of possibility.

“You know … you get humbled a bit on Korn Ferry [Tour], and even when I got out here, you realise how good everyone is,” he said. “I definitely knew I was a work in progress, and still am. But I knew that my game was suited for out here, and I knew if I continued to work and at least had faith in what I was doing that I would be able to be in the position someday. To now I’ve won four times is pretty crazy.”

It’s also pretty impressive, coming so quickly.

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But it was an old-school shot by the young star that really caught our attention.

TGL’s new “Stinger” hole has quickly become one of the best parts of the simulator league and we got to see why on Tuesday night. Players have the option to take an aggressive line under a gigantic rock formation by hitting a low tee shot and Gotterup did exactly that. With a 1-iron. Who knew those were even around anymore?

Anyway, have a look at this sick shot that had a launch angle of only 1.7(!) degrees:

You never see 1-irons anymore. pic.twitter.com/m16qBdLGpY

— TGL (@TGL) January 6, 2026

Just a ridiculous poke to get a golf ball to go that low for that long (185 yard carry and 300 yards total). Even Tiger himself would be in awe of that. And it has to be considered the coolest shot in TGL’s (short) history.

Not too shabby for someone who is only on the squad as an injury replacement. Justin Thomas better watch our or he might get Wally Pipped.

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“Give me a sec,” he eked out while wiping his eyes. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get it out but everyone at home … I don’t know, but I mean, this is awesome. I’m not going to be able to keep it together. Yeah, it’s awesome. I can’t wait to see everyone. And then I’m playing the Open next week.”

Gotterup, a man with plenty of giddy-up in his swing but who often struggles on the greens, was proficient in both driving and putting disciplines, especially the latter in the final round. His closing four-under 66 at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, was good for a two-stroke victory over McIlroy and England’s Marco Penge.

RELATED: Here are the clubs Chris Gotterup used to win the Genesis Scottish Open

A former college standout and Rutgers and then at Oklahoma, where he won the Jack Nicklaus Award and Haskins Award in 2022, Gotterup finished at 15-under 265 and became the second player in as many weeks to win twice without posting another top-10 finish to date, joining John Deere Classic winner Brian Campbell. Gotterup is the sixth American to win the Scottish Open.

An emotional Chris Gotterup is at a loss for words pic.twitter.com/xxv74AkA7d

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 13, 2025

A week shy of his 26th birthday, Gotterup collected $1.575 million and untold helpings of confidence. Last year, he claimed a six-stroke victory in the Myrtle Beach Classic held opposite the Wells Fargo Championship, a signature event. This win was more significant coming against a field populated by most of the top players and the added incentive of a berth in year’s final major.

“I was a one-time champion. Two-time champ sounds a lot better,” said Gotterup, whose father Morten is a five-time New Jersey state amateur champion. “I know what I’m capable of and I know when I feel the way I did today, I can beat the best.”

Denied his 30th PGA Tour title, McIlroy shot 68, equaling the highest score he has posted in 12 rounds at the Renaissance Club. Penge closed with a 66.

McIlroy held a one-stroke lead through six holes but sputtered after Gotterup caught him with a 10-foot birdie at the seventh. Each man birdied the eighth—significant because McIlroy would fail to make another birdie the remainder of the day. Gotterup birdied the par-5 10th to take the lead and then jumped two ahead at the par-3 12th when he stuffed his tee shot to 30 inches.

Gotterup bogeyed 15 after a slow-play warning but rebounded at the crucial par-5 16th by sinking another 10-footer after McIlroy missed from 12 feet. McIlroy played the par-5s in one over in the final round.

“Chris played a great round of golf. He was so solid,” said McIlroy, who has finished first, fourth and second in his last three starts in the tournament. “[He] made the bogey on 15 but bounced back with a really nice birdie on 16. Yeah, after he got a couple ahead, I just couldn’t claw back.”

Warren Little

Appearing rejuvenated—and with less hair from a buzz cut—after a few weeks at home in Northern Ireland, McIlroy said he was in no way frustrated by the result as he prepared to return home for the British Open at Royal Portrush.

“It’s been a great week,” he said. “I’m really happy with where my game is, the way I played over the weekend, the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight. It has been a great week. Missing the trophy, that’s about it.”

Ranked fourth in both strokes gained/driving and putting this week, Gotterup clearly won on the strength of his work on the greens after having a below average day off the tee. He came into the tournament 132nd in putting average and 143 in putts per round. But the Maryland native was second in putts per green in regulation. He made the most of his chances.

That was enough to hold off McIlroy and everyone else who got close as the day wore on.

Luke Walker

Gotterup now heads to Royal Portrush feeling flush and expected to move from 158th to among the top 50 in the world. But he leaves Scotland on top of the world. After winning in Myrtle Beach, he expected more of himself, but finished the season poorly. On top of that, a hand he had surgically repaired a few years earlier started aching. He took three months off.

Obviously, it did him a lot good. Proof is in his consistency; his win Sunday marked his 10th top-25 finish. Included in that was a T-23 at the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Winning in Scotland doesn’t seem so surprising in that context.

“So they are both very special,” he said of his two victories. “The first is the first, and I feel like a lot of people say that the second one is harder just because you have expectations and whatnot. It’s definitely more a validation this week. Myrtle Beach was amazing, but this one, I feel like I’ve been talking to my team about I want to take the next step, and I feel like this is part of that.”

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The top three players in the world – 2025 US PGA Championship winner Scottie Scheffler, 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy, and reigning Open Champion Xander Schauffele – were joined by the most recent Major Champion, with J.J. Spaun rising to number eight in the Official World Ranking following his victory at Oakmont last month.

Fellow Major winners Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa and European Ryder Cup stars Sepp Straka and Viktor Hovland round out the eight members of the world’s top ten to tee it up in Scotland’s national open.

World Number 14 Robert MacIntyre returned to defend his title, with the home hero joining his 2023 Ryder Cup-winning teammates Ludvig Åberg and Tommy Fleetwood and Americans Maverick McNealy and Harris English in ensuring 13 of the top 20 at the Renaissance Club.

European Ryder Cup Captain and former World Number One Luke Donald returned to Scotland as he prepares to lead his side against the United States for the second time this September.

Adam Scott, who finished runner up to MacIntyre in the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open, was one of a further nine Major winners in the field this year, alongside former European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick, Brian Harman, Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Danny Willett and Gary Woodland.

A host of DP World Tour winners also teed it up, including Scots Connor Syme and Calum Hill – who have both lifted trophies on the 2025 Race to Dubai – and Ewen Ferguson.

Rolex Series winners in the field included Ryan Fox – who has triumphed twice on the PGA TOUR this season – the 2020 winner of Scotland’s national open, Aaron Rai, 2023 European Ryder Cup star Nicolai Højgaard alongside Paul Waring and Victor Perez – both winners in Abu Dhabi.

The Genesis Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, counting on both the Race to Dubai Rankings and the FedExCup.

Chris Gotterup showed calmness and quality to hold off Rory McIlroy and win the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open by two shots.

The 25-year-old shared the third-round lead with the World Number Two, who claimed the title in 2023, and the pair went toe-to-toe in their bid for a Rolex Series victory at the Renaissance Club.

Here’s the prize money breakdown for each golfer at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open

WIN: Chris Gotterup, -15/265, $1.575 million

T-2: Marco Penge, -13/267, $788,175

T-2: Rory McIlroy, -13/267, $788,175

T-4: Nicolai Hojgaard, -12/268, $407,250

T-4: Matt Fitzpatrick, -12/268, $407,250

6: Justin Rose, -11/269, $322,200

7: Sepp Straka, -10/270, $287,550

T-8: Xander Schauffele, -9/271, $233,400

T-8: Scottie Scheffler, -9/271, $233,400

T-8: Ludvig Aberg, -9/271, $233,400

T-11: Viktor Hovland, -8/272, $189,675

T-11: Wyndham Clark, -8/272, $189,675

T-13: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, -7/273, $153,450

T-13: Taylor Pendrith, -7/273, $153,450

T-13: Kristoffer Reitan, -7/273, $153,450

T-13: Andrew Novak, -7/273, $153,450

T-17: Adam Scott, -6/274, $120,510

T-17: Harry Hall, -6/274, $120,510

T-17: Andy Sullivan, -6/274, $120,150

T-17: Matti Schmid, -6/274, $120,510

T-17: Tom Kim, -6/274, $120,510

T-22: Nick Taylor, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Grant Forest, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Nico Echavarria, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Jordan Smith, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Jorge Campillo, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Maverick McNealy, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Matt McCarty, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Richard Mansell, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Justin Thomas, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Antoine Rozner, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Harris English, -5/275, $80,625

T-22: Jake Knapp, -5/275, $80,625

T-34: Sebastian Soderberg, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Alex Smalley, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Laurie Canter, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Si Woo Kim, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Michael Kim, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Tommy Fleetwood, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Elvis Smylie, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Marcel Siem, -4/276, $52,950

T-34: Kevin Yu, -4/276, $52,950

T-43: Yannik Paul, -3/277, $40,950

T-43: Jesper Svensson, -3/277, $40,950

T-43: Ugo Coussaud, -3/277, $40,950

T-43: Victor Perez, -3/277, $40,950

T-47: Aaron Rai, -2/278, $34,860

T-47: Corey Conners, -2/278, $34,860

T-47: Sam Burns, -2/278, $34,860

T-50: Keith Mitchell, -1/279, $29,754

T-50: Matt Wallace, -1/279, $29,754

T-50: Jhonattan Vegas, -1/279, $29,754

T-50: Brian Harman, -1/279, $29,754

T-50: Francesco Laporta, -1/279, $29,754

T-55: John Parry, E/280, +E/280, $25,920

T-55: Keita Nakajima, +E/280, $25,920

T-55: Bud Cauley, +E/280, $25,920

T-55: Romain Langasque, +E/280, $25,920

T-55: Daniel Berger, +E/280, $25,920

T-60: Alejandro Del Rey, +1/281, $23,220

T-60: Gary Woodland, +1/281, $23,220

T-60: Sami Valimaki, +1/281, $23,220

T-60: Daniel Brown, +1/281, $23,220

T-60: Thorbjorn Olesen, +1/281, $23,220

T-65: Jacques Kruyswijk, +2/282, $19,800

T-65: Ryan Fox, +2/282, $19,800

T-65: Robert MacIntyre, +2/282, $19,800

T-65: Sam Bairstow, +2/282, $19,800

T-65: Luke Clanton, +2/282, $19,800

T-65: Dale Whitnell, +2/282, $19,800

T-71: Padraig Harrington, +3/283, $18,810

T-71: Thomas Detry, +3/283, $18,810

73: Martin Couvra, +4/284, $18,540

74: Ryan Gerard, +5/285, $18,360

T-75: Jacob Bridgeman, +6/286, $18,000

T-75: Connor Syme, +6/286, $18,000

T-75: Sam Stevens, +6/286, $18,000

78: Henrik Norlander, +7/287, $17,640

79: Byeong Hun An, +8/288, $17,460

Main Image: Getty Images

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