In what could end up being the final edition of the tournament in the Islands, Chris Gotterup claimed the 2026 PGA Sony Open at Waialae Country Club on Sunday afternoon.
Goetterup's four-round total of 16-under 264 was two strokes ahead of runner-up Ryan Gerard. Meanwhile, Davis Riley, who entered Sunday's final round with a two-stroke lead, finished in 16th with a 1-over 71.
Gotterup, 26, turned professional following a storied college career in which he took home both the Haskins Award and Jack Nicklaus Award, given to the top collegiate men's golfer, as a senior at the University of Oklahoma in 2022. Sunday's Sony was his third victory since joining the PGA Tour. He had previously won the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic and 2025 Genesis Scottish Open.
The week in Waialae was Goetterup's second time competing in the Sony. In 2025, he missed the cut after shooting even par after two rounds. After his victory on Sunday, he was presented with a check worth $1,638,000 reserved for the winner. Amid ambiguity surrounding PGA Tour events in Hawai‘i, Gotterup certainly hopes he gets the opportunity to defend his Sony title in 2027.
"I wish I had the answer for you. I don't. There is a whole new regime and they're going to do what they think is best for the Tour," Gotterup said in a press conference following his victory. "We have to agree. Not that I don't think it's a bad thing, but to be honest, I'm just spewing nonsense. I really don't know what's going to happen. As a champion, I hope it stays because I played well here and it's a great place.
"But, yeah, I don't know. Hopefully I'm not the last champion, and, yeah, that's really all I can say about it."
Earlier in the tournament, Collin Morikawa, one of the pre-tournament betting favorites, missed the cut by one stroke. In the 18th hole of Friday's second round, he missed a 7-foot birdie put that would have placed him above the cut line and active on Saturday and Sunday. Instead, he finished with an even 140 over the course of his two rounds
A pair of golfers with direct local ties competed in the tournament in Hawai‘i-Hilo and ‘Iolani alumnus Corey Kozuma, as well as Kamehameha-Maui alum and current Hawai‘i junior Anson Cabello. Both missed the cut as Kozuma shot a 4-over 144, while Cabello, one of two amateurs in the tournament, finished with an 8-over 148.
Meanwhile, Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, finished in a tie for 13th with a four-round total of 9-under 271.
Other notable golf pros who competed throughout the week include Tony Finau, who missed the cut, as well as Jordan Speith, who finished in a tie for 24th with a 7-under 273. Additionally, 62-year-old Vijay Singh, the oldest player in the tournament, finished in a tie for 40th with a 5-under 275.
The PGA's return to the Islands next year has been in doubt ever since the Tour announced it was not beginning its season on Maui at The Sentry due to water concerns in Kapalua. To add to the speculation, the 2026 tournament is the final year Sony is serving as a sponsor for the tournament under its current contract. As the PGA Tour crafts its 2027 schedule, skipping its two customary events in Hawai‘i remains a possibility.
While the rest of the PGA Tour season rolls on next week at the American Express Golf Tournament in California, players who opted out of the Sony will begin their 2026 seasons on the Mainland. Gotterup, who is not competing in the American Express 2026, saw his decision to begin his year O‘ahu pay off in a major way on Sunday.
"This is the first time I can actually plan my schedule a little bit. So, I wanted to come here and kick the year off right," he said. "I wanted to come out here. I think a lot of guys, it was 50/50 where do I start, (California) or Hawai‘i? For me, I love coming out here and obviously love it even more now."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
