The main difficulty for Chris Gotterup on Friday was getting up early. However, once he started playing, he didn’t stop until he matched the course record with an impressive round of 9 under par, 61 strokes. This secured him a two-stroke lead heading into the weekend at the Scottish Open.Gotterup showcased his prowess with three long putts and exceptional distance off the tee, making the most of a sunny and breezy day at The Renaissance Club.Harry Hall, with a card of 64 strokes, was two strokes away, while a revitalized Ludvig Åberg, with 65 strokes, led a group that was three strokes away.Åberg, after a well-deserved rest in Sweden, where he visited his friends and enjoyed his mother’s cooking, managed to recover from a bogey-bogey start, thanks to eight birdies in the following 15 holes.This made him the only player in the top five to compete in the afternoon, when the wind picked up on the Firth of Forth, making the course firm and complicated, frustrating players like Scottie Scheffler.Scheffler, current world number one, had two three-putts and, at one point, after seeing a putt veer off course, simulated a thumbs-up celebration. Despite this, he managed a round of 68 strokes, finishing six strokes behind Gotterup.Gotterup, coming from Rutgers University and who finished his last season at Oklahoma, totaled 11 under par, 129 strokes.Rory McIlroy, with five birdies on the second nine (starting on the 10th hole), signed a card of 65 strokes, joining the group at 7 under par, 133 strokes. Xander Schauffele, defending champion at the next Open Championship, was five strokes away after a round of 66.Schauffele, known for his composure, was surprised by his score of 66 strokes, given the ideal weather conditions.It was time to take advantage of the situation.Gotterup did precisely that. Despite the jet lag and having to get up early, he achieved a 45-foot birdie on the second hole, followed by several close birdies and a 30-foot putt on the difficult 7th hole. He closed the first round with 29 strokes, after a birdie from 20 feet.With three more birdies in the following five holes, he reached 9 under par. Two more birdies, one of them on a par 5, would have allowed him to break the 60-stroke barrier.
In addition to leading the tournament, Gotterup seeks to secure one of the three available spots for the Open Championship. Although he would like to stay another week, he already has a flight to California scheduled to participate in the PGA Tour event in Lake Tahoe.He loves playing in Scotland, as he did last year, and made the most of the ideal weather conditions. The public has also responded, selling out tickets for Saturday and quickly selling those for Sunday.I didn’t think about that at all. I thought 10 under par would be great. I think it’s still my lowest round in a tournament. I have no complaints.
Gotterup
Gotterup won the Myrtle Beach Classic last year. His athletic performance is due to his 12 years playing lacrosse in his childhood in New Jersey, a sport that provides him with speed and a movement similar to golf.There probably aren’t many better places to be.
Gotterup
The defending champion, Robert MacIntyre, was pleased to make the cut. The wind and sun made scores difficult to achieve. The cut was set at 1 under par, 139 strokes. MacIntyre managed a late birdie, and Justin Thomas, with a 6-foot birdie on the 18th hole, managed to make the cut.Lacrosse helps with my speed. It’s a similar movement. When you play lacrosse, I try to throw the ball as hard as I can. I grew up hitting the ball as hard as I could. That’s how I grew up playing. Maybe if I had grown up here, it would be different.
Gotterup
