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Chris Gotterup of the United States became the fourth rookie of the year to win a PGA Tour event. Chris Gotterup's first Tour victory came in his 27th start.
In 2023, three players including Ludvig Aberg, won the PGA Tour as rookies and just two in 2022. Before Chris Gotterup, Nick Dunlap, Matthieu Pavon and Jake Knapp won the PGA Tour as rookies in 2024.
Let's take a look at all of their performances one by one.
4 rookies who won PGA Tour events in 2024
#1 Nick Dunlap
Nick Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore student at the University of Alabama, won the American Express tournament in January. He scored an overall 29 under par with a score of 259 in four rounds in La Quinta, California. He won by a margin of two strokes over Jon Rahm.
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Dunlap was the first sponsor exemption to win the tournament after Martin Laird in 2020. He was also the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event after Phil Mickelson won in 1991. After his win, he was granted an exemption to the Tour till the end of the 2026 season including the seven remaining signature events of the 2024 season, the Players Championship and the Sentry in 2025.
#2 Matthieu Pavon
Matthieu Pavon, a 32-year-old, won his first Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open towards the end of January. Pavon had an overall score of 13 under par after finishing 3-under 69 in the final round at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California. After the win, Pavon said (via PGA Tour):
"It's just hard work and belief; If you believe that you're capable to do it, you can do it."
Pavon's victory came in his 11th start on the Tour.
Pavon became the first Frenchman to win a PGA Tour event after Arnaud Massy won the 1907 Open Championship. After his win he became a Tour member till 2026 with exemptions into every signature event this season, the Players Championship and the Masters. He's also in the lead to represent France at the 2024 Olympics.
#3 Jake Knapp
Jake Knapp's win as a rookie came in the 2024 Mexico Open in February. He had an overall score of 19-under 265 at Vidanta, Vallarta. He has had three top-5 and four top-10 finishes in the 2024 season so far.
Like Dunlap and Pavon, Knapp was exempted from the remaining signature events of the season. He also made his debut at the 2024 Masters, where he finished T54.
After his win at the Mexico Open, Knapp said (via PGA Tour):
"It's hilarious to think two years ago I was working security at a bar and it was a much different scenario in my life."
#4 Chris Gotterup
Chris Gotterup's rookie win came in the recently concluded 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic. He registered an overall score of 22-under 262 at Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His victory came in his 26th Tour start.
Because of his win, Gotterup earned an exemption to the 2024 PGA Championship, the Sentry and the Players Championship in 2025. Though he isn't exempted from signature events and the Masters, he will climb the ranks in the Aon Next 10 and Aon Swing 5 for the final two Signature Events of 2024.
