MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2026

Chris Gotterup

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are pleased to welcome Chris Gotterup to the interview room. Welcome to the Masters.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Thank you very much.

Q. This is the 90th Masters this year. You are a very accomplished first timer with four PGA TOUR wins. That's pretty incredible.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Yeah, it's cool. I'm happy to be here. Obviously four wins is nice, but this is going to be fun.

Q. What are you looking forward to this week at the Masters?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think just embracing the whole experience and trying to take it all in and enjoy it while also trying to go out there and compete and give it everything I've got.

Q. A year ago, did you envision yourself sitting here at the Masters with this kind of momentum coming in?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Probably not. At some point I had hoped to be here and to play in the Masters, but to be here, especially a year ago, with four wins, I probably wouldn't have believed it. Obviously happy to be here doing so.

Yeah, it's been a fun ride the last year or so. Hopefully keep it going.

Q. I'm very curious about your Danish heritage. Do you speak Danish? Have you been to Denmark? Do you feel Danish?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I don't speak any Danish, but I actually was on the range with the Højgaards last week, and they said you were going to be looking for me. We've been over there -- I've been there twice. My dad can speak Danish fluently, but my grandma, she had a house over there for a long time. We went once or twice.

I haven't been in the last couple years, but I'm sure at some point soon we'll head over there.

To answer your question, I kind of feel Danish. I don't know if -- I'm very American for being Danish, but yeah, there's a bit of me that definitely feels European, to say the least.

Q. 90th Masters. What's your first memory of this golf tournament?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: The most vivid first memory for me is the one that comes to mind is Tiger winning in 2019. I don't know if that's my first memory, but that's when I really was kind of into golf big time and was trying to play professionally. Not at that point, but that was what I saw myself doing at that point.

I remember that vividly and watched the whole thing through, and it was obviously an amazing story too. I watched for years beforehand, but the one I can think of that comes into my head is '19.

Q. Do you feel like your game from tee to green fits this golf course and it's just a matter of getting your short game and putting in order?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I don't know. I think this place obviously is very demanding in some spots and requires the right tee ball on certain holes and the right approach shots. I don't think -- honestly, I feel like my short game and putting has been pretty good this year, and I feel like at times when I haven't played my best, it's been poor tee to green.

Honestly, if I feel like I'm striking it well, I feel like I can play well anywhere. Obviously that's going to be put on emphasis this week that tee to green is very important here. From what I've seen so far, it's all about placement. I think putting gets hard here if you're not in the right spot, and I think that comes from tee to green more so than putting and chipping and stuff like that. That's more recovery work than, I feel like, execution on that front.

Q. Can you reflect on how important the Genesis Scottish Open win has been on your journey over the last nine, ten months?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think that event kind of kick-started everything for me. 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.

Obviously Sunday was a big day for me, and obviously being over there in different type of grass, different type of links golf is obviously different. I felt like my game traveled really well over there, and it's traveled 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.

Q. Hypothetical question, but maybe you can have some fun with it. As you prepare for your first Masters Tournament, can you think of anything in the world that might tempt you to give it up?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: What was the end of that?

Q. Can you think of anything in the world that would tempt you to give up this opportunity?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I don't know. I don't -- no. I don't see what would -- no.

(Laughter.)

Q. I'm asking because Michael La Sasso is the NCAA champion; could have been playing here, but he's off to LIV. So I'm wondering if there's anything in the world you can think of.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Where I'm at now, no. I can't see a reason to do so. Obviously that's a different situation than where I'm at. Yeah, for me, no.

Q. How would you describe your experience playing alongside Justin Rose today in your first practice round? What were those conversations like with him, especially given his experience here?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: It's funny, I actually was down in Florida a couple of weeks ago, and his caddie, Fooch, lives close by. Me and my coach, Jason, were at dinner, and we ran into Fooch at dinner. He said, Why don't you play a practice round with us?

We'd played a couple times this year. Justin has had great success here. Fooch has been around here 20-plus times, and Justin as well. There's not too many better people to play a practice round with that have seen the ups and downs of this place.

It was fun. We don't play the exact same type of game, but it's fun to hear what they have to say, what they've done well at, and what they've maybe missed the mark at.

Yeah, I think, as a first timer too, it's hard to really take it all in. Having not played the tournament to where you need to be here on certain holes, you need to be here, and kind of this wind, this wind -- you haven't seen it all. So it's nice to hear what they have to say in that respect and at least be prepared for kind of anything that can come your way.

It's more preparation work and hearing that stuff than picking their brain on the course. It's more kind of what to expect if this happens, what to expect if this happens.

Yeah, it was great. I'm happy that he let me join him.

Q. I'm curious what your memory is of the first time you went and took a lesson with Jason on the simulator in Alpine and what your thoughts were going into that and what you wanted to get out of it. Just as a follow, what he's meant to you since then.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I remember a couple of the first lessons. The simulator one, I don't -- I remember a little bit, but I remember being at Alpine on the range, and I have some of the swings on my phone. It's crazy the difference in my swing now compared to then.

I don't know what I expected to get out of it. Obviously, hopefully to get better. Yeah, it's been a fun journey. I think it's almost 12, 13 years that we've been working together. He's been through every step of the journey and helped me along the way. We've argued. We've gone back and forth. He's told me what I need to be doing.

Yeah, he's been great, and he's been a really good influence on my game obviously and very helpful. I like that we can just get along too. We work at the course. We'll have -- not conflict, but we'll talk, like, business, and then when we go home and hang out, we're just friends after that.

Yeah, he's been a big, big part of all this obviously.

Q. You had an exceptional collegiate career both at Rutgers and Oklahoma, finishing off winning the Haskins and Nicklaus Awards. But that's college, and now you do this for a living. What were some of the adjustments you made and maybe some of the lessons learned in your early couple years as a professional that you feel helped you get to where you are right now?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think the biggest thing that I took from the next step that I took, someone told me years ago that you could win every college event, do whatever, be Player of the Year, all this stuff, and then once you turn pro, no one cares about all that stuff.

It helped me get into events and whatnot, some sponsor exemptions, but those results don't translate. I felt like I had to go out and earn it. I obviously took a lot of confidence from being Player of the Year at Oklahoma, and obviously the whole transformation that I felt like I had at Rutgers into Oklahoma helped along the way, getting maybe a little more toughness and going through the learning pains of golf and climbing the ranks.

I felt like I was prepared by the time I left Oklahoma, as much as I could be. Obviously got off to a good start. But pro golf, there's a lot of learning curves -- the whole travel, the whole getting from A to B, learning new courses, the 12 weeks in a row on Korn Ferry that you've got to grind through. I felt like that was all a learning process for me, and I felt like I handled it as well as I could.

Looking back on it, it was fun. My brother caddied for me for a long time, and we had -- it was fun to share with him. Obviously got to play with Bridgeman a bunch out here now and some of the other guys as well. It's been fun to see everyone succeed. We all shared houses in Korn Ferry and sponsor exemptions, and now we're out here playing at the Masters. It's been a fun, fun experience for sure.

Q. What about this golf course makes you nervous?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I don't think anything about the course makes me nervous. I think I'm going to be nervous on the first tee for sure. I think it's more the excitement and getting ready to play in the Masters more than -- at the end of the day, every tournament you go out and you try to perform your best. So I think it's more of just trying to settle down the nerves of playing.

I'm sure on the first tee I'll be nervous, just because it's something different that I haven't experienced before. I'm going to try to treat it as much of a normal week as I can even though I don't think it is a normal week. I think it's more of the first experience rather than golf course in terms of nerves.

Q. Secondly -- and I don't mean to put you on the spot as a first timer -- but every hole is named after a flower. How many can you name?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Is every hole named after a flower? Well, because we were playing 4 today. Is palm a flower?

Q. It used to be but no longer.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I could name a couple. Do you want me to name them?

Q. Not unless you're comfortable.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: It's not going to be good. I'm going to take a pass. Yeah, I don't think I'd get as many as you would hope.

Q. Early impressions, but is there a hole that you already sort of have fallen in love with, really like, and why? And is there a hole where you've kind of got to think about it still and how you want to play it and why?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I feel like I've played the front more than the back so far, just having played it this morning and only playing one round kind of for fun beforehand.

I think my favorite hole that might not be a lot of people's favorite is 7. I just think the framing of it, it demands a great tee ball. You can either make the hole look very easy with a great drive and a wedge, or you can make a mess of that hole pretty quickly if you're kind of slapping it around in the bunkers or if you just get yourself in the wrong spot.

I just think visually it looks very pleasing, and I think obviously the other holes that everyone else would name are up there too. For me, 7 just kind of has the look of a hole that I would like.

Q. How about the opposite of that, something that you've encountered that you're like, hmm, I've got to think about how I want to do this? Gives you pause.

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think it's more wind related that could make something uncomfortable. I think we're so used to playing different holes, different courses, stuff that makes you uncomfortable. You kind of just find a way around that.

For me, I know an important hole is going to be 2. I think that's going to be a hole that, if I play that hole well, I think I'll have a good run. It requires a great tee ball and obviously a lot of other things after that, but that will be a hole that I'm focused on.

Q. When you play well, what do you do well?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think, when I play well, I'm very focused but also able to be relaxed. I feel like I'm in a good place mentally. I'm in a good place physically. I think I don't think a lot when I'm playing well. It seems to just come easy when it's going well, and when it's not, you're thinking a lot. You're trying to do too much.

When I'm playing well, the club feels good in my hands. I feel like I'm thinking things through properly. I'm taking my time and executing well and also enjoying it.

I think, when I haven't played well, I'm fidgety. I'm trying to do too much, trying to make something happen. I feel like, when I'm playing well, it just kind of comes to me, and I'm patient, and I let it happen rather than trying to make it happen.

Q. We all have associations with the Amen Corner and the kinds of emotions that they evoke, but in your own words, how would you describe Amen Corner and its role at Augusta National?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think it's iconic. I think it's the one spot that you watch on TV, and that's kind of where the tournament's won every year, it seems. Even though there's a lot of other holes, I feel like you either step up there and you perform, or you kind of back out -- maybe not on purpose, but it seems to be the one that kind of bites people.

I think, when you get up there, you just try to execute the best you can, and we'll see what happens.

Q. Obviously your good play over the last year, two years has put you in some bigger pairings, bigger moments, bigger events. Do you feel like you elevate your game the bigger the moment, and if so, how did you learn to do that and where did you get that from?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think it comes from just being comfortable and being around that more often. I think I would say that my first year and second year, I played well. Then I got into a couple final -- not final groups, but up near the lead and kind of faded away and finished 25th. I feel like I took things from that.

Now I feel like after winning a couple big events, I feel like I'm comfortable being there. Obviously if I'm there, I feel like I'm playing well. So it's easier to feel comfortable when you're playing well as well.

Yeah, I think a big thing has just been being around everyone more and getting comfortable with seeing everyone that you -- beforehand, when I was watching on TV, I see them all the time in the physio room or at home in Florida, and you kind of just are used to them, everyone being around.

I definitely feel more comfortable now, and I feel like I've played well and earned the right to be in that spot when I'm playing well. Just kind of -- I'd say just been putting myself up there and trying to execute, and having executed under the gun makes you feel like you can do it again.

Q. There have been some TOUR players over time that have declined to come here and play until they were invited to play in the Masters. I gather that was the case with you as well. If so, why was that?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I don't know if I have -- I don't think I've actually ever declined an invite. I don't know if I've been invited. So you can't turn down nothing.

I have gotten offered 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.

I don't know, it's just something 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 I don't want to -- it would be not 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.

Q. This morning or this afternoon, your practice round, how much did you work on your game with Justin Rose? But how much did you allow yourself to soak it in, look around, your first Augusta National golf practice round, just look around you and feel it?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think it was more trying to prepare for the course and trying to be ready for the tournament. I think that was the point of coming early and getting to experience Augusta when it was to try to experience Augusta for fun and take it all in.

Now it's kind of how can I execute on the golf course and try to prepare for the Masters? Obviously enjoy it as well, but I think that stuff comes more from if I'm just hanging with family and friends afterwards, but when I'm out there, I'm trying to focus on how to play the golf course and be ready to play in the Masters.