Chris Gotterup opens up on utilizing win in East Lothian to maneuver into ‘different gear’
Chris Gotterup admits his Genesis Scottish Open win final summer time was the “kick-start” for him bidding to grow to be the primary participant since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 to grow to be Masters champion on the first try.
The American pulled off one thing of a shock on the time when he held off 2023 winner Rory McIlroy to win final 12 months’s Rolex Series occasion at The Renaissance Club.
Helped by including victories in each the Sony Open in Hawaii and WM Phoenix Open earlier this 12 months, Gotterup is the world No 11 and among the many favourites heading into his first Augusta National look this week.
“I think that event kind of kick-started everything for me,” he admitted in a media convention on Monday. “I felt like I was at a good frame of my game at that point heading into that week.
“I had a couple of top 25s and was playing well. Since then, I feel like I’ve kicked it into a different gear. That tournament gave me a ton of confidence going up against a great field.”
Having put himself in rivalry on the again of a sensational 61 within the second spherical, Gotterup closed with a 66 to win by two photographs from each McIlroy and Marco Penge on the East Lothian coast.
“Obviously Sunday was a big day for me,” he added after taking part in a follow spherical with Justin Rose, the 2014 Genesis Scottish Open champion. “Being over there playing links golf on a different type of grass.
‘My game travelled really well over there’
“I felt like my game travelled really well over there, and it’s travelled to different places like Sony. It’s a very different course. I feel like I’ve won on different courses, and that gives me confidence being able to bring it to any course.”
Gotterup is amongst 22 first-timers within the discipline for the ninetieth version, which is the primary one to be performed since Zoeller handed away on the age of 74 final November.
“I have gotten offers to come watch the tournament from sponsors or from whoever it may be, and I said I can’t go over there until I play, or else if I’m retired, then I can go over,” he stated, laughing.
“It’s just that I think this is such a special event, and it’s something that I wanted to experience playing rather than watching. I get a little stubborn, and it would not be an enjoyable experience for me. Even though it would be bucket list for a lot of people, I want to play, and I want to be a part of it how I see fit.”
