Morning Win Catch up with Scottish Open Champion Chris Gotterup

Fresh off his breakthrough victory at the Scottish Open, Chris Gotterup sits down with Emilia Doran to talk all things Bridgestone—his go-to ball, the role of MindSet in his game, and how he conquered one of golf’s toughest tests. From navigating brutal winds to staying mentally sharp under pressure, Chris shares what fueled his confidence down the stretch and how Bridgestone technology helped him seal the win. A must-watch for golf fans and gearheads alike.

Chris, thank you so much for taking time to chat with Bridgestone literally the day after you win the Genesis Scottish Open. You shot 15 under, four under, 66 on Sunday to win by two. You won with Bridgestone’s TourBX Mindset Ball. It’s your second PJ tour win. You’re in the open championship this week at Royal Port Rush, moving to the top 50 in the world for the first time. You’re in the Masters next year. Chris, congratulations on the big win. How would you describe the whirlwind of the last 24 hours? Um, definitely still hasn’t like sunk in yet, but it was cool going into the locker room this morning and everyone giving you congrats and um just saying it was awesome to watch. So, that that’s cool. And um yeah, I mean obviously really exciting all that stuff. Um, you know, a lot of firsts will be coming uh from this, but yeah, I’m I’m definitely trying to catch up on some sleep and uh I’m probably going to take a nap after this. Yeah, no kidding. Well, debriefing on the tournament, it was a big final group that you were competing in against on Sunday, playing against major champions when at the time you’d only competed in three majors yourself. What was the mindset going into Sunday competing against players that you grew up watching on TV? Um, I really was trying to just focus on my game and and and what the course was giving me and how I was going to go about playing the course with the wind conditions and and stuff like that. I really I really was really focused on myself, which I think was a good thing in the end. Um, but yeah, I mean it was it was a lot of fun and there was a lot of people out there and um I liked playing spoiler a little bit. How much were you able to lean on a win in Myrtle Beach last year to be able to stay present in your own game when you’re playing with the number two ranked player in the world? Yeah, I think I think I definitely drew some experience off that and and really just trying to focus on like I said, I I I really was trying to not focus on what Rory was doing or what Windham was doing. It was really just what can I do to get to, you know, 15 under or what can I do to get to 16 under. Um because you have to expect that those guys are going to make a run at some point. And um luckily luckily they they didn’t make a crazy run and I and I and I played well enough to kind of hold them back. Well, it was a really big moment on the 16th hole where you made that clutch birdie to regain a two-shot lead. When you were setting up that shot, how do you optimize the mindset part of your golf ball when it comes to gathering the data, visualizing, and focusing in on that moment? Yeah, off the tea. I definitely use it um just as a reference point of just something to, you know, I’ve talked with Jason about it a little bit as well and just it it just provides a little bit more clarity on what I’m doing and maybe a little bit more focus um rather than just being like, “Oh yeah, I’m going to hit this down the left.” It’s like really, all right, I’m going to do this, this, this, and focus on the green dot and let’s go. Um, so yeah, I think I think it’s definitely um been a nice a nice benefit to to my game. One of the other things that was so fun to watch about year round and pretty much all week was how much you were shaping the ball. You were being really creative with some of the shots using that Torbx mindset ball, which is the Bridgestone ball you play. What goes into trusting your equipment in situations like the Scottish Open where you’re not playing a ton of link style golf? Yeah, I think it’s really important. Um, it’s the golf ball is probably the most important thing in the bag for me. I mean, it’s the one you hit every single club with. And, um, I’ve gotten really comfortable with the golf ball over the last couple years. And I think around the greens especially, it it was, you know, I was able to get spin in spots where I would say a lot of other guys weren’t able to. Um, and I was just really comfortable with it in the wind and uh it, you know, it I’ve gotten really really used to how it flies in the wind and it and it really flies great. Um, doesn’t get hit as much as other guys balls and it’s just it I just am very comfortable with it and and I think it’s obviously held my game a lot. Well, certainly comfortable considering you shot a 61 on Friday shooting the course record. What were some of those big T- shots or touchy shots around the greens that you were able to pull off to shoot such a low round? Yeah, I think like you said, my my ball control with flighting shots was really good. I mean, I think of one shot on 13 on Friday where I was trying to hit like a low draw eight iron off a slope and trying to, you know, let it feed in and um and it just it reacted perfectly. Um, I think there’s just a lot of a lot of those kind of shots where I expect the ball to do what I’m seeing and it and it does that. Um, and it’s a good feeling when you when you have confidence in in that situation. Well, one thing that’s super neat about your two wins is they’ve both been the week before two majors. So, last year was the PGA and this year is the Open Championship. What have you learned in managing the roller coaster of a ride after winning a tournament and then having to reset and prepare for a major that next week? Yeah, I definitely didn’t do as well the first time with it. Um, there’s just a lot that was thrown on my plate. I feel like now I’m a little bit more prepared for what’s coming. And um, I’m definitely going to, you know, allow myself to relax and and chill and catch up. I mean, it winning takes a lot out of you. Um, so I’m going to I’m going to take my rest day today and and uh and get back after it tomorrow and kind of ease into the week and really really try not to overdo it. Um, it’s so exciting when you’re out of major and, you know, the energy levels are high, but it’s really easy to just be at the course all day and, you know, practice too much and stuff like that. So, I’m gonna I’m gonna try to be on the course a little bit more this week than the range and and just uh and just enjoy it. When it comes to preparation, what were some of the takeaways to link style golf coming off of the Renaissance Club that you will bring into uh playing Royalport Rush this week? Yeah, I definitely think it’s going to be a different type of Lynx golf. Um I’ve never been to Ireland. Uh actually, just look outside and it’s pouring rain. Um, so I mean we didn’t get we got amazing weather last week. It was windy and it was really firm. So I think this week we’ll probably not be as firm, but I’m sure we’ll get more conditions like rain, wind, and stuff like that. Um, so I’m definitely expecting a different type of of golf. Not as much bounciness and and rolling around, but uh still going to, you know, flighting the ball is going to be a major part of this week. and I haven’t seen the course yet, but I can just, you know, that’s what you’re going to have to do going into an open. After winning the Scottish, who were some of the first people that you called and spoke with? I talked to my dad first. Um, it was kind of funny. Everyone was kind of in different areas. My dad was home. Uh, my mom was in Maryland, brother in Chicago, my sister was at school. So, uh, I kind of talked to my dad first and I talked to my girlfriend. Um, and then I tried to call my mom and she didn’t answer me. And then I uh and then I we had a big group FaceTime um afterwards once I got back to the hotel. So that was cool. That’s so awesome. Lot of FaceTimes for you. Well welld deserved. Thank you so much, Chris. Congratulations on the big win at the Genesis Scottish Open. Thank you so much for taking the time the day after your victory to chat with team Bridgestone and good luck at the Open Championship this week. You got it. Thank you.