Scottsdale crowd erupts as Gotterup wins playoff

Chris Gotterup Stuns Matsuyama in Dramatic Phoenix Open Playoff

What a Sunday in Scottsdale. Just when it looked like Hideki Matsuyama had the 91st WM Phoenix Open locked up, Chris Gotterup pulled off one of the most thrilling comebacks TPC Scottsdale has ever seen, winning in a playoff after firing a sizzling final-round 64.

Standing on the 13th tee five shots back, Gotterup's chances looked toast. Then the 26-year-old caught absolute fire, birdieing five of his final six holes to post the clubhouse lead at 16-under 268. The run included a clutch wedge from the gallery on 18 that stopped inside five feet.

Then came the wait. Matsuyama, the two-time Phoenix Open champion, held a one-shot lead heading to 18 but pulled his drive into the infamous church pew bunkers, his 11th missed fairway of the day. His second shot slammed into the bunker face, and the resulting bogey sent the tournament to a playoff.

The playoff played out even worse for Matsuyama. Back on 18, he yanked his tee shot into the water, while Gotterup crushed his drive straight down the fairway and buried his birdie putt to seal it. The crowd at the Stadium Course absolutely erupted.

Gotterup pocketed $1.728 million from the $9.6 million purse, his fourth career PGA Tour victory and second in just three starts this season after winning the Sony Open in January.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a serious run after opening with a shaky 73 that nearly cost him the weekend, closing with a bogey-free 64 to finish tied for third at 15-under alongside Akshay Bhatia, Si Woo Kim, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Nicolai Hojgaard.

For Valley golf fans, this was the kind of finish that makes the People's Open the greatest show in golf.

Sources: Yahoo Sports | PGA Tour | CBS Sports | Golf.com | Golf Channel