People's Open Ends in Pure Chaos

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Feb 09, 2026 | Edition #261

 👋 Hey Golf Fans,

Congrats to all the Seahawks fans here. You already know the result (29-13), but for more detailed coverage and behind-the-scenes dramas, we point you to our colleagues at The Huddle—check out their phenomenal Super Bowl coverage here.

Moving on, the WM Phoenix Open ended in a crazy final round, rowdy fans spoiled the party, Reed showed heart, and a pro treated his trophy like his toddler. We break down the Sunday action, decode the rules on loose impediments, and more.

Defiant

The wildest week in golf came to an equally wild finish. 26-year-old Chris Gotterup (64) defied all odds by sending the WM Phoenix Open to a playoff, despite starting the day four shots behind the leader, Hideki Matsuyama (68). And then—thanks in part to his own brilliance and the rest due to Matsuyama’s poor luck—Gotterup nailed a 27-footer for birdie in the first playoff hole to bag his 4th PGA Tour win in 71 starts.

Matsuyama, who has converted every one of his 54-hole leads in the past and won the WMPO in a playoff twice before, could only watch as Gotterup denied him a 12th PGA Tour title. Check out the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in one single frame—a sight you don’t see every day.

Gotterup had a 0.7% win probability on the 72nd hole, with Matsuyama still poised to lift the trophy. But luck got in the way twice. The Japanese pro missed the 72nd hole putt and then splattered his drive in the playoff to the lake—backing off mid-swing both times due to interruptions.

To Gotterup’s credit, he played the last six holes at 5-under to post 16-under for the week and blasted a precise tee shot on the first playoff hole to put pressure on Matsuyama, who struggled with his driver throughout the day (-0.489 in SG: Off the Tee). In fact, he missed every fairway on the front nine and opened the doors for Gotterup to barge in. This was Gotterup’s second victory of the year, and he rose to 5th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Bigger Picture: Scottie Scheffler (64), from the brink of cutline on Friday, climbed to a five-way tie for third place. Viktor Hovland (68) finished at T10 while Rickie Fowler (67) managed a T18.


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Theatrical

Jerk of the Week: On the 18th hole in regulation, Hideki Matsuyama lined up a 25-foot par putt to win his third WMPO title. Right on his backswing, a fan yelled, forcing him to step back. He bogeyed the hole. Watch the infuriating moment that’d make you want to punch them in the face.

Mere minutes later, in the playoff on the same hole, came another interruption. Matsuyama was well into his downswing this time, but how he handled the situation showed pure class.

Moment of the Week: Staying cool under pressure shows true humility and maturity. Before the final round at the Qatar Masters, Patrick Reed made a little girl’s day with a warm, cozy hug. But the little fan asked for more, and Reed’s reaction will melt your heart.

Shot of the Week: Daniel Hillier is the poster boy for rescuing stray shots—remember this one from the Australian PGA? He topped even that at the Qatar Masters. From the sandy and rocky native area near the 2nd, Hillier lashed his second shot skyward, and guess where it landed? Mere inches away from the pin. You’ve got to watch and applaud this one helluva shot.

Celebration(s) of the Week: At 5 AM, the crowd gathered outside the WMPO gate and sang The Star-Spangled Banner in unison. The clip went viral quickly. There was also a flyover on the 16th and a botched attempt at paragliding. The paraglider miscalculated, and you can clearly see the guy dive-bombing into… well, a cactus.

Face of the Week: Can you recognize this person? We’ll help. Three years ago, our Hulk of Golf went viral for ripping his t-shirt and threatening fellow weekend warriors over a minor argument. He resurfaced at the WMPO, but as of now, we’ve no reports of another brawl.

Do You Think Hideki Matsuyama Would’ve Won Without the Interruptions?

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Saturday’s Results: 70.05% of you said no-cut tournaments are less competitive than regular ones.


With the WM Phoenix Open ending, our first Essentially Golf Prediction Challenge winner is finalized. The contest was tight, and we had to apply the tiebreaker to determine the final five. So, congratulations to the top five finishers.

A quick snapshot of the prediction challenge:

  • Underdog: Only two people picked Chris Gotterup as the winner.

  • Favorite: 62.7% of you believed Scottie would win.

  • Foresight: Only 17.2% correctly predicted a playoff.

  • Precise: Only two of you predicted the winning score correctly.

  • Hope: 19.3% of you hoped for more than two aces on the 16th.

The top performer will take home a $25 gift card. And to everyone else who played along and shared your picks with us, thanks for being part of the ride. We’ll have more such challenges coming up soon. Stay tuned…


Weekly Wrap

LIV Golf: In his LIV debut in Riyadh, Elvis Smylie, 23, closed with 8-under 64, edging Jon Rahm by one stroke. As the first winner of an OWGR-affiliated LIV event, Smylie earned approximately 23 points, vaulting from No. 134 to No. 77. Check out the winning putt, the roar, and the celebration here.

DP World Tour: Patrick Reed is chasing a PGA Tour card like a white whale through tempestuous seas. At the Qatar Masters, he notched his second win in three starts, firing 16-under for a two-shot victory over Calum Hill. He became the first American to win the tournament and now leads the Race to Dubai Rankings. Some have started calling him inevitable—watch how he reacted to that.

PGA Tour of Australasia: Declan O’Donovan, 22, won the Webex Players Series in Sydney, outpacing Brady Watt by five shots for his maiden title. The celebration was just as special—we bet you haven’t seen a pro tucking their trophy under a blanket on the bed.

Korn Ferry Tour: James Nicholas (66) eagled the 72nd hole to bag his first KFT title at the Astara Golf Championship—dedicating it to his late grandmother for an emotional reason. Norman Xiong (66) carded seven birdies but couldn’t catch Nicholas.

Sunshine Tour: In another playoff, Will Enefer (69) edged out Hennie Otto to win the Sunshine Tour’s CIRCA Cape Town Open. The Englishman erased a five-shot deficit in the final round to force the playoff and look at his caddie’s euphoric celebration after Enefer birdied the playoff hole.





Tricky

Rules of Golf can get tricky, especially around objects on the course. Joakim Lagergren and his caddie were allowed to move gigantic rocks, but Rory McIlroy couldn’t move a banana peel glued to his ball. Here’s the difference:

  • Loose impediments: Any "unattached natural objects," like leaves or twigs, are loose impediments. Moving your ball in the process of moving it results in a one-stroke penalty. The banana peel was considered a loose impediment—you can check and judge for yourself.

  • Movable obstructions: Artificial objects like bottle caps, trash cans, or a golf cart exit sign that can be removed with “reasonable effort” are movable obstructions. If your ball moves while moving it, just replace it with no penalty.

  • Immovable obstructions: Any obstruction that cannot be removed. In that scenario, free relief would only be allowed if it physically interferes with your lie or swing. What are the alternatives? Watch the USGA’s official explanation.

The game of golf is littered with several such rules, including the confusing ones that affected pros last season.


Essentially Golf brings you handpicked, well-thought-out, and not-to-be-missed recommendations to make your weekend more fun:

🎥 WatchAugusta National’s awe-inspiring history on how it came to be.

🎁 GiftChocolate Truffles is a delicious Valentine’s Day gift for the special person.

🏌️ Gear Up Patriot Pride Mug features a golfer wrapped in Stars and Stripes.

🤌 Unwind Horchata Con Ron is a creamy delight made with a splash of rum.

🥗 Dine Le Veau d'Or hosts lipstick-red banquettes and exquisite cuisine.


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