FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP

August 14, 2026

Chris Gotterup

TPC Southwind

Quick Quotes

Q. What are the biggest challenges when you're playing and it's hot like this?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Honestly for me, it's hard, one, just staying as hydrated as possible, getting the right salt, electrolytes, all that. It's hard to keep up. Also just my hands get really sweaty, so that's part of the deal too.

It's just trying to make sure I'm ready to go, getting ready for every shot, and mentally honestly.

Today wasn't too bad. It felt like I'm sure it will be hot when it's 3:00, but yesterday finishing up, it was hard to keep your head in it. You're kind of a little lightheaded. Your body starts to kind of fatigue a little bit. But it's tough.

I mean, everyone's going through it. So it's not like you're getting the short end of the stick. It's hot from 8:00 a.m. till whenever, all day every day.

Q. What will be the key for staying in this through the rest of the weekend for you?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: For me, just hitting fairways. I think that's the hardest thing out here is just to be in the fairway every hole. It's borderline impossible to do. Yeah, I feel like I did a good job today. I kind of got off a little bit in the middle there.

I didn't feel like I played too bad. Even-par around here isn't the worst score ever. Just got to get a couple good ones this weekend.

Q. Before the tournament, the video you posted on Instagram, it's been sent like 50,000 times already. Do you have a team that helps you with that sort of thing? And do you listen to Young Dolph at all?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I have. The team is the TOUR guys, Jake and Muhammad, they do a great job with all of our stuff. Luckily we have them, and we don't have to do anything, or else those videos wouldn't exist.

Q. I know it's popular here because it uses a lot of the --

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Yeah.

Q. -- themes that identify with that sort of stuff. If that wins you a few more fans, is that good in your book?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Yeah, honestly, I'm just trying to -- I'm not really trying to do anything. I'm trying to give something funny or something good for people to see. At the end of the day, you've got to go play good golf to make it worthwhile, or else you look like an idiot posting something like that.

So just trying to play good, and yeah, if I can do a little extra here with not much heavy lifting, it's an easy job too.

Q. What have you done well these first two days, and what do you want to do better?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I feel like I've played the hard holes well. 12, 17, 18, I think I've played even par, so it feels like I'm gaining on the field.

Yeah, I felt like I've done a decent job of hitting it in the fairway. I would say I just quite haven't gotten the wedges as close as I'd like or haven't made as many putts as I'd like either. Yeah, I feel like I'm in a decent spot and in a good spot going into the weekend.

Q. I feel like it wouldn't be fair for me to ask you about the Player of the Year since you're going to be on the ballot, but when you're voting for that particular award, what would you weigh as important? This year, for example, you've got a bunch of players who are in the mix, and they've done everything from won majors to Scottie Scheffler being very consistent. Which one of those things is most important to you?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I think I would answer it the same as everyone is it's pretty hard to -- I would say we all value consistency, and obviously Scottie's done an amazing job of that. He only has one win, but he's crushing everyone in points. So there's something to be said about that.

Out here, there's also something to be said about winning too and majors and all that good stuff.

I honestly don't know. Like I really don't -- it really depends on what the person that's clicking the button values more or who they may like more. It's really not -- there's no -- I would say there's no like good -- there's no bad answer is what I'm trying to say. I think if you said anyone, no one would be like that's BS, like someone got screwed.

I think it's been a great year for the TOUR, and all these guys have played really well, myself included. I think with a couple weeks left, there's still plenty of room for improvement, but I think so far it would be -- it really depends on what you value.