Sundays at the John Deere Classic are usually quiet affairs. Not this one. Ben Kohles built a 3-shot cushion in the afternoon and looked like he was going to cruise, until Chris Gotterup decided he wasn't done winning golf tournaments this year.
Kohles buried a putt to get to -20 and stretched his lead to 3 shots midway through the back nine.
That lead didn't last. Gotterup kept making putts, clawing back from 2 back to dead even, and the leaderboard turned into a genuine slugfest. Throw in Max Homa lurking just a shot behind with one hole to play, and you had three guys with a real shot at the trophy walking down the stretch.
Gotterup answered right back, tying the lead with a shot that settled a few feet from the cup.
Then came the moment that decided it. Kohles, tied for the lead standing on 18, hit his approach into the water — the kind of gut-punch swing that turns a coin-flip finish into a coronation for the other guy.
Kohles' tee shot on 18 found the water while he was tied for the lead, a brutal swing at the worst possible time.
Gotterup didn't need any more help after that. He closed with a 62, took the solo lead for good, and walked away with his 3rd win of the season — a number that puts him firmly in the conversation as one of the hottest players on Tour right now. Not bad for a guy who was grinding on mini-tours a few years back.
The final line: Gotterup's Sunday 62 sealed his 3rd win of the season at the John Deere Classic.
