Chris Gotterup didn’t just crack the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking with his victory Sunday at the WM Phoenix Open.
He moved into the top five.
Gotterup, who also captured the Sony Open last month, climbed nine spots, from No. 16 to No. 5, behind only runaway No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. He began the new year at No. 28, and at this time last year, he was No. 206.
Gotterup’s No. 5 rank also marks the best by an Oklahoma alum. The 26-year-old New Jersey native played four seasons at Rutgers but finished his career with a graduate year with the Sooners, whom he led to the NCAA quarterfinals as the national player of the year in 2022. Prior to Sunday, Anthony Kim held the best OWGR rank in program history, No. 6, achieved in 2008.
Despite losing in a playoff to Gotterup, Hideki Matsuyama rose three spots to No. 11. Patrick Reed, following his second DP World Tour win in three starts, is now No. 17, the first time he’s been inside the top 20 since October 2021.
Further down the world rankings, Michael Thorbjornsen and Pierceson Coody both improved their chances of qualifying for the Masters via the top 50, with Thorbjornsen going from No. 65 to No. 43 and Coody No. 47 to No. 44.