Breakout Golfers to Watch in 2023: Chris Gotterup

In the first of a new series, we look ahead to 2023 and players who are primed for a breakout. First on the list: Chris Gotterup

Climbing up the ranks in professional golf is no walk in the park, and now that the talent pool of young players is deeper than ever, it’s an especially grueling fight. But as we saw this fall with 20-year-old Tom Kim—who became the first player to win twice before the age of 21 since Tiger Woods—all it takes is a streak of some incredibly good golf to become the game’s next big thing.

Looking ahead to the new year, there are a few players who just might possess Kim’s breakthrough abilities. While some are more obvious than others, we'll roll out our list in the final days of the year. First up, Chris Gotterup. 

Why Chris Gotterup is a Player to Watch in 2023

Name: Chris Gotterup

Birthplace: Easton, Maryland

College: Rutgers University, University of Oklahoma

Why He's a 2023 Breakout Candidate: Even though Chris Gotterup doesn’t have his PGA Tour card just yet, his 2023 is set to be huge. After four years on the Rutgers golf team, Gotterup took advantage of his redshirt year by transferring to the University of Oklahoma, where his game thrived. With his sensational play, Gotterup won both the Haskins and Nicklaus awards for men’s college golfer of the year.

The 6’0” tall, 210-pound 23-year-old is sharp all-around, but he’s known for crushing the ball off the tee with a Brooks Koepka-like move. In March, he finished tied for seventh at the Puerto Rico Open as an amateur—his first ever PGA Tour start. It was the best result on Tour from an amateur competitor since Sam Burns at the Barbasol Championship in 2017.

When Gotterup turned pro, he qualified for and made the cut at the U.S. Open, then recorded a T4 finish at the John Deere Classic. The solid performances earned him a spot in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, where he made five birdies in the first six holes of the final round. He led the tournament by one stroke with four holes to go, but made a painful double-bogey on the par-5 15th. Gotterup ultimately finished tied for third, securing 12 guaranteed starts on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Despite not being a PGA Tour member just yet, Gotterup is on the cusp of a massive year and everyone who’s been watching him knows it.