Chris Gotterup turned a five-shot Sunday deficit into victory at the John Deere Classic, firing a 9-under 62 to secure his fourth PGA Tour title in the last 12 months. Ben Kohles, seeking his first win in his 120th start, found water on the 18th and ultimately
SILVIS, Ill. — Chris Gotterup didn’t need a miracle. He needed time, and then he needed to take it.
Sunday’s finish looked like it belonged to someone else for long stretches, but Gotterup closed with a 9-under 62 to erase a five-shot deficit and win the John Deere Classic for his fourth PGA Tour title in the last 12 months.
He avoided a playoff when Ben Kohles, chasing his first win in his 120th PGA Tour start, had trouble at the 18th. After Kohles’ approach left him with a shot that headed toward the water, he ended up making a double bogey, handing Gotterup the edge.
The final numbers told the story. Gotterup finished at 20-under 264 and moved to No. 7 in the world. It was. in a way. the culmination of momentum he has built nearly everywhere he’s been the last year—starting in Scotland. where he held off Rory McIlroy. then following with victories in the Sony Open and the Phoenix Open this year.
Next week, he defends his title in the Scottish Open. He reached the top 10 in the world through a run that has felt almost unreal, and Sunday’s win carried an extra layer of meaning because his brother, Patrick, was on the bag at the TPC Deere Run.
When Gotterup became the winner, he was in tears on the practice range.
“I really like this tournament. They’ve been super nice to me,” Gotterup said. “To have Patrick out here with me … it’s just so awesome.”
Kohles’ ending was the one he’ll replay. He made a birdie on the 16th to join Gotterup at 20-under, and at 17th he missed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5. Then came the 18th.
Kohles hit his drive down the middle, but the ball didn’t hold its line. It was tugged left, bounded off the hill and into the water. From there. he took a penalty drop by the green. then got a break when his stance ended up on a sprinkler head. That allowed him to drop on the fringe. use his putter. and get into position with a par putt to force extra holes.
That putt slid wide right the whole way and came to rest just inside three feet. He missed it, dropping out of contention and turning what had been a tense, gripping final stretch into a devastating conclusion.
Kohles said he was between 8-iron and 9-iron from the 18th fairway.
“Thought if I hit a full 8, it could have a chance of going over,” Kohles said. “So I was just trying to hit kind of a three-quarter punch shot. Yeah, just tugged it a little, and obviously ended up in the water. Tough way to finish, especially how I played all day.”
Max Homa, meanwhile, refused to fade. He ran off four straight birdies on the back nine and closed with a 64 to finish alone in second. That moved him to No. 49 in the FedEx Cup. a huge step for a former Ryder Cup player who missed the post-season a year ago and had fallen out of the top 100 in the world. It was also his highest PGA Tour finish in more than three years.
Lucas Glover and Lee Hodges, who shared the 54-hole lead, started strong but each settled for a 69 to tie for third.
A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., finished at 3 under and in a three-way tie for 71st. Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton, Ont., ended in a five-way tie for 46th at 9 under.
Gotterup’s path to the title included a fast start after regrouping from the deficit. He made four birdies in five holes early on. with the only par during that stretch coming when he couldn’t convert an up-and-down from just off the green at the par-5 second. His final birdie was a 15-footer on the 17th that pushed him toward the practice range. waiting to see if it held up.
The victory was his third of the year, the most individual titles of any player. Matt Fitzpatrick has three wins as well, including the team event in New Orleans.
Zach Johnson, the 50-year-old former champion who skipped the U.S. Senior Open this week to play in what he considers a hometown event, shot 68 to tie for ninth.
Blades Brown, the 19-year-old who turned pro while still in high school, closed with a 68 and tied for 12th as he tries to work his way toward a PGA Tour card. Preston Stout, the NCAA champion, shot 69 and tied for 15th.
For Gotterup, the scenes were personal as well as professional. He received a sponsor exemption to the John Deere Classic in 2022 after he finished his college career at Oklahoma. and he has stayed loyal to the tournament ever since—playing even with a title to defend across the Atlantic and the British Open looming the following week.
Sunday ended with a 9-under sprint, a brother at his side, and a closer that left Kohles’ first-win bid just short—by a single swing that turned into water.
Chris Gotterup John Deere Classic Ben Kohles TPC Deere Run PGA Tour Rory McIlroy Max Homa Scottish Open FedEx Cup